Hardship: Jigawa almajiri pupils lament decline in free food

There are strong indications that life is no longer the same for almajiri pupils in Jigawa State as the pupils who hitherto depended on charity food from residents now decry the harsh reality of going hungry due to rising economic hardship and inflation in the country.

Findings by Arewa PUNCH in Dutse and other major towns in the state revealed a sad shift from the age-long tradition of feeding almajiri pupils through charity.

Ordinarily, the young almajiri pupils, most of whom do not live with their parents but with the head of their Islamic school, popularly known as ‘Tsangaya’ or ‘Makarantar Allo’, survive on free food given daily by residents of the area where they are studying until they complete the entire Qur’an study from the beginning to the end.

The tradition had for centuries helped sustain the system, as households cook and set aside food specifically for the almajiri pupils who move from house to house with their plastic bowls in search of alms or free meals.

Arewa PUNCH findings further revealed that contrary to what used to be the normal tradition of getting free food, the almajiri pupils now lament that due to economic concerns, the free or charity food from residents is declining and becoming difficult to get as many households who previously gave food willingly now complain of inability to feed even their own children, thus, forcing them to cut off or reduce support to the almajiri.

As a result, most of the almajiri pupils now resort to alternative means to survive, especially in most cities in the state.

Some of them now go to the bush to fetch grass for cattle rearers in exchange for food, while others cut and carry firewood on their heads to residents’ homes to barter for food.

In other cases, they (almajiri) engage in household labour chores like fetching water for those who need it, washing clothes, shoe repair or carrying refuse to the dump sites in exchange for food to survive.

Speaking with Arewa PUNCH on Sunday, 12-year-old Musa Ibrahim, who is an Almajiri from a Tsangaya school along Danmasara quarters in Dutse, said he has resorted to shoe repair as an alternative means to survive, because life has become difficult for him and his colleagues.

“Before, we used to get food easily from houses, but now people will tell us there is no food.

Sometimes we go round from morning till afternoon without getting anything to eat,” Musa lamented in Hausa.

Also, 10-year-old Sani Umar, an almajiri pupil in Yalwawa quarters, said hunger has taught him how to work before eating. “I now fetch grass for cattle rearers before they give me food. If I don’t go to bush, I will sleep hungry,” Sani said.

Similarly, 13-year-old almajiri, Abubakar Dahiru from Shuwarin town, said he now washes plates and fetches water for residents and restaurants in the area, adding, “We beg but they say no food. So we have to work like fetching water and packing dirt before they give us food.”

Reacting to the development, a resident of Dutse, Aliyu Ashiru, described the situation as worrisome and strange to the culture of the North.

“It is true, we used to give almajiri food daily but now, because of hardship, even to feed a family is a problem. We are worried about these children too,” Ashiru said.

Another resident, Maryam Salisu from Takur-site quarters, expressed concern over the future of the pupils and called for help.

“These children roam about all day looking for food. As a predominantly Muslim society, we should not abandon them. The government should do something,” Mrs Salisu said.

Malam Isa Mohammad, the Head of a Tsangaya school along Sakwaya village in Dutse with over 80 pupils, raised concern over the ugly trend and its effect on learning, saying, the pupils now spend more time looking for food than learning, unlike before.

“Most of my pupils now leave in the morning and return in the evening after searching for food. They are hungry and cannot concentrate on recitation. This is affecting their Islamic education,” Muhammad stated.

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Another Tsangaya school head in Birnin-Kudu, Alaramma Audu Haruna, lamented that feeding the pupils has become a burden on him.

“We are struggling to feed them. Before, residents assisted us with food, but now that support is nearly ending. We are calling on the government and wealthy individuals to assist,” Alaramma said.

When contacted by Arewa PUNCH, a Jigawa-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Na’ibi Kazaure, described the situation as “one of the signs of difficult times we are currently witnessing.”

He pointed out, “This development is painful. Almajiri is part of our religious heritage. To see them struggle to get food shows the level of hardship. Parents and mallams must take more responsibility while government should support the system,” Na’ibi Kazaure said.

He advised that charity should not be abandoned despite the economic challenges, noting that helping the almajiri is an act of ibadah.

Also commenting on the development, a Jigawa-based renowned civil society activist, Comrade Musbahu Basirka, called on all stakeholders to act urgently, stressing, “This is a humanitarian issue. These children are vulnerable and should not be left to hawk grass for food. The government, traditional rulers and wealthy individuals must come together to reform and support almajiri education,” Basirka stated.

He added, “If we neglect them (almajiri) today, the society will pay for it tomorrow. We need a sustainable feeding and learning arrangement for them.”

The activist, who further urged the state government to do more on the almajiri welfare in its social protection programme, linked the decline in the age-old northern culture of offering free food to Almajiri pupils to the current economic realities, as inflation continues to bite harder.

Accordingly, Basirka, who promised to draw the attention of relevant stakeholders to the plight of the almajiri pupils, also expressed hope that with collective effort, the age-long tradition of supporting them would be revived for the betterment of the pupils and society at large.

When contacted, the Executive Secretary of the Jigawa State Tsangaya School Board, Dr. Abubakar Maje, said the government is aware of the situation of almajiri pupils in the state and that plans are underway to ensure the adequate welfare of pupils studying in any Tsangaya school across the state.

He disclosed that about 10,000 almajiri pupils are currently being fed three square meals daily by the government.

“The beneficiaries are drawn from selected Tsangaya schools under Category One, located in Dutse, Kiyawa, Kafin-Hausa, Hadejia, Auyo, Ringim and Taura local government areas,” he explained.

He continued, “These areas have been designated as Almajiri begging-free zones, but the programme is still at the pilot stage.”

Dr. Maje stressed further, “Under Category Two, 4,180 pupils, comprising 2,180 old and 2,000 newly enrolled almajiri pupils are currently benefiting from the government’s intervention in seven Model Tsangaya Schools.

“The schools are located in Gantsa, Gagarawa, Jahun, Aujara, Kirikasamma, Birniwa, Sule-Tankarkar and Gwiwa LGAs,” he disclosed.

The Executive Secretary also revealed that another government plan is underway to provide empowerment support to 130 Integrated Tsangaya Schools with a combined population of 17,000 almajiri pupils across the state.

According to him, the government will soon roll out seeds, fertiliser, farm inputs and other necessary farming materials, along with a monthly stipend for the heads of the integrated schools, to enable them to produce food for their pupils.

The initiative, he explained, is aimed at preventing the pupils from begging and relying on the community, thereby putting an end to the age-long practice.