The victory over Boko Haram, is it sustainable one

                  By Ibrahim B. Lawan: [email protected]

“Buhari: Last Boko Haram base taken in Samisa Forest“ (Aljazeera, 24 December, 2016) What do this victory means for Nigeria’s future counter terror campaign; Is it sustainable; Do this victory deserve to generate confidence and total good hope among citizens? For the past six years, Sambisa forest, about 60km southeastern Maiduguri was the notorious hide-out of Boko Haram insurgents. The victory on the recapturing the  western Sudanese typical savanna forest of 1300sq may be seen as a nine day’s wonder, such a short term victory, if concrete measures to do with economic and social problems are not taken with regarding certain factors that encouraged both subsistence poverty and extremism among young men from Hausa/Fulani/Kanuri communities. Countries like Nigeria has been suffering the worst part of the global economic recession as a result of shallow-minded polices of its past leaders who have been in power while the dependent oil resources were highly valued at the time of their leadership, which gave Nigeria such a richness that could be potentially sustained to build at least 200Y-Nigeria of prosperity and development. Instead, public treasures were squandered, looted and mismanaged at the time of oil booming Nigeria of the 1970s and 1999s. And the impacts of those economic blunders reversed back against generations and futures of Nigeria as first step, as society drifted into poverty and uncertainty regarding social and national development. President Muhammad Buhari came to power with maximum hope and minimum aspiration that have been dreamt for years. We can place Buhari as the president who came to power exactly when the nation was at worst economic and security crisis, and this was how he became eligible for our patience, cooperation and prayers. One of the priorities was peace. A giant step was made in this aspect, when the commander In-chief ordered for a relocation of military headquarters to Borno state as all-out military campaign to end Boko Haram insurgence. Fortunately, with the achievable  creation of West African (states) military alliance headed by Nigeria, a good story was aired “The federal Government has congratulated the gallant troop of  the Nigerian military for finally seizing the Sambisa forest from Boko Haram terrorists and secured the north-East paving the way for yesterday re-opening of two strategic roads in Borno state” (Vanguard, 27 December -2016). For total victory with lasting equanimity, some underrated grounds considered as engineering factors behind emergence of Boko Haram should be seriously considered and addressed so that we extend the claimed victory beyond short term.

“Almajirci ” a Hausa/Fulani culture of sending kids to cities for both economic gain and religious affiliated studies was now a leftover threat to the current security development attained in Northern Nigeria, being a culture left behind without modernization  in favor of security and economic  development of the modern day. An old practices which some scholars related it to Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Idris Al-Shafi’I popularly known as Imam Shafi’ as the greatest proponent of migration for seeking knowledge which he extended even to business and attached to activities of fun as precious stone which said can never be experienced unless it is mined and transported away from one’s soil. “Emigrate from your home in quest of excellence, and travel for five benefits: relief from sorrow and earning a livelihood, then knowledge, good manners and friendship with the fame. Many famous scholars had traveled widely in order to generate knowledge and wisdom in such a way similar to Almajirci. And their success inspired many other to convey the practices into chain generations

 The system of Almajirci of today was changed by both influencing forces of economic hardship and weak structure of welfare, therefore it contradicted the orthodox type of Almahiranci, which was very decent and conducted on purpose and objectivity (knowledge seeking). Many stories have revealed how disputing families led to the abandoning of children by mother, or father and their children have no alternative but to accept being sent to cities or towns live as Titibiri (Young Almajirai). Hundreds of other versions revealed about sending children to cities as a simple solution  to an extremely poor families who found it difficult to feed, care and educate their own dependents children. Many a times, family grievances in the events of conflicts of separation (divorce) makes it difficult for children to acquire concern that they drifts into dangers of street roving, that they sacrifices their need to what so ever could ease their sadness in cities and town where safety is not commonly guaranteed. They survive like frustrated hustlers under a care-taker (Gardi, Alaramma or Gwani) The care-taker was either lucky to have a hosting family in the city or such adventurous hustler who find a space off streets or hallway and build a shed for study and sleep along with quite a number of his Almajirai. Normally the sheds are congested, dirty with scattered clothes, slates and bowls.

 Roving Titibiris in the northern cities of Nigeria especially Kano, the most attracting city for Almajiranci culture, have over- populated streets than ever before since the emergence of victory over Boko Haram. Roughly about one hundred and fifty thousand to two hundred thousand Titibiris were seen wandering idly, off streets, markets, stores and shopping malls as well as open restaurants and hotels gates, looking for alms and any other opportunity that may come their way. Many of these kids pretended their identities as refugees, while some of them could only remember the day in which they were brought from other states as well as neighboring countries like Niger, Chad and Cameroun. Inside wards and sub-urban quarters sound of their utterances for alms, have been the consistent and nagging ambience, second to the commonly known roar of generating machines. Their hostile manners as they walked from one house to another were clearly noticeable. There were local reports in Tokarawa, Dorayi, Ja’en, Rimin Kebe and Hotoro wards about group of young baggers who at separate occasion invaded some houses and robbed foods especially from new married couples/settlers. In some areas, disputes were reported between their needs as hungrily frustrated for food and the residents’ right of food ownership. At Kuntau settlement, Alasan Barki a thirteen years old bagger was reported (Unofficially) to have stroke a bride with a sharp metal weapon on her bra, after being frustrated with the way she ignored him while busy cooking dinner meal.

         How obsessively controversial is it to call for abolish of Almajirci and replace it with a modern based medium of learning, considering its linkage with religious tradition; Could this be possible while there were no concrete policies that sustains welfare for young, poor children? What so ever the answer, wandering, bagging children should be considered a potential threat to general security application as well as to the futures of  inspiration, aspiration and inspiration of our lovely children and grandchildren. Thus, focus should be re-directed on the growing number of children which directly challenges the system of security, hygiene and welfare. About 70 per cent of the children brought to cities today as titibiris ends up frustrated and chooses to remain in cities rather than going back to their parents, striving to live on what so ever. Almost half of this percentage are attracted by criminal gangs as well as religious extremist clerics. Unlike decent Almajiranci of the past, in which Alaramma, Gangaran and their titibiri migrated to cities and being accepted and hosted by a community or well-to-do family, after their identities were scrutinized  in order to ensure that were good people-for-learning, today there were more camouflaged people flowing freely into cities, pretending as Islamic religion students. Wandering titibiris in groups with shabby appearances are the physical nauseating disgust to the cities’ look. They pour into cities effecting negatively to the hygienic system. Imagine where hundreds of thousands these street kids relieve themselves; Are the conveniences available enough to cater for their needs; How disgraceful is it, to see human west deposited in some uncompleted building close the most beautifully attracting shopping mall in Kano, the Ado Bayero Mall. Or on the road sides of zoo road, which seen as studio center of most Kannywood filmmakers?

Conclusively, there is need for the APC-led government to urgently consider applying better emergency measures to tackle the current situation of Almajirai; As well as exploring into some welfare projects that could ease the present economic hardship, soaring inflation and joblessness among youths so that the positive security development attained would extend to benefit futures. Doing so would decrease possible recruitment of children as soldiers of religious/political ideology as we saw in some African nations.