Former governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha has berated Northern Governors over the poor treatment of Almajiris.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Monday, the lawmaker noted that the governors have failed in their responsibilities to cater for the children.
Okorocha said that the Almajiri system is not the problem but hunger and poverty ravaging the North and the country in general.
He said: “Help to educate these children, give them jobs, who knows one of them could be a President some day.
“The governors and other rich Individuals should help transform the Almajiri system of Islamic education, instead of subjecting them to humiliation. Many of our prominent people now, were once, Almajiri.”
“The system had its origin from the migration of Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. When he migrated from Mecca, some people followed him in search of knowledge and they were catered for. They were not left hungry. They were fed.”
According to Okorocha, the abandoned children needed care while the system needs to be reformed by all in order to stop the children from begging on the street.
He said his Okorocha Foundation had established schools in Kano, Yola, Zaria and Sokoto with the sole aim of providing education to the Almajiri.
“Some of us have excess that we don’t need Channel such towards enhancing the living standard of such children. They are our children,” he said.
