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WHAT NATIONAL PEACE COMMITTEE (NPC) NEEDS TO ADDRESS.
In its effort as a platform for constructive dialogue and collaboration to address the concerns and aspirations of all Nigerian citizens, this eminent platform chaired by General Abdulsalam Abubakar GCFR, while reaffirming its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democracy should FRONTALLY CONFRONT the issue of AL-MAJIRANCHI in the forthcoming Thursday 26th September 2024 meeting scheduled to take place in Abuja.
SYNOPSIS OF MY INTERVENTION: The Amajiranchi
Nigerians, like in most known cultures have some ideas of giving assistance to the needy. More often than not the idea of ALMS giving is tied up with religious beliefs as with Islam and Christianity. I would suppose, even in secular states, attitudes about philanthropy tend to be rooted in those ideals of charity.
But what if benevolent endeavors could be conducted on a purely rational, secular basis without bastardising religion and reducing humanity to guttersnipe? There is the idea behind various “white papers” crafted by states like Sokoto, Kano and Kaduna to mention a few, some years ago with recommendations on strategies to bring to end to Al-Majiranchi.
If believing Nigerians are serious about doing good as enjoined by their faith, then it must define what good it seeks, measure it, and fund the projects that do the most good in rehabilitating especially these street children whose future remains precarious. But instead, people typically give to low-impact feel-good causes, and charitable foundations that some states have come to identify being occulted in design, urging their authorities to ban and bar them from any so-called charity work. Kano State for example has given directive to its HISBAH to chase away such unscrupulous NGOs.
I congratulate His Excellency Engr Kabir Yusuf Gida-Gida, Governor of Kano state for this initiative.
Even as effective benevolence does seek many worthy ends like consistency, fairness and truth, it is ultimately being driven by something like God fearing impulsiveness and profound insecurity preached along side unselfish concern for the welfare of others. I want to quote from my benevolent source that “Corrupting forces are all around us, and they are so deeply seated in our brains, that reason cannot succeed by method alone. We must be ever on the hunt, ready to spot anything received and then make a public show of unmasking it”.
It is quite obvious on a closer look, that it reveals a strange, almost cultish zeal motivating promoters of this so-called altruism that it has begun to take on the trappings of an actual religion. This attitude is very common on the platform of Human Rights campaign enforcing developing countries to embrace LGBTQ agenda to gain access to some monetary assistance for Child care and related societal development. For those promoting such collaboration, it is not just an idea but a transformational lifestyle that goes against our religious beliefs, culture and sanity.
The ideological form we are seeing of Al-Majiri here is not philosophy or intellectuality. The need to cleanse one’s self of impurities is universal, but, it is stranger still when we failed to recognise exactly what impurities religion promised to cleanse its followers of by maintaining Al-majiranchi.
I have come to the conclusion that Nigerians believe they are pursuing something good by offering ALMS when actually they are fleeing something, absolutely terrified witless that anyone might for one second mistake them for a non-human beings.
CONCLUSION
I want to impress on the conveners of this One Day Town hall meeting to collaborate with relevant states and institutions to pick up those vulnerable children from our streets, because it’s the right thing to do. Also because we know that all of us who pass by face the same choice.
We must encourage these Institutions to choose to do the right thing of mopping up the streets, and by doing so will serve to encourage others. If these institutions show responsibility, ordinary Nigerians will also take responsibility. It may as well be enough to coordinate others to do the same. Whether our shared life holds together or crumbles comes down to small choices like this.
Wishing you a very successful deliberation.
M K ILYASU writes from Kaduna Nigeria
25th September 2024
