Senator Rochas Okorocha has criticized Northern governors for the way they’ve handled the Almajiri children in the past and in recent times.
Okorocha granted an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Tuesday, June 2.
He said the governors and wealthy men in the north need to empower almajiri children and quit subjecting them to ”humiliation.”
“Help to educate these children, give them jobs, who knows one of them could be a President some day,” the former Imo State governor said.
He added: “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.”
He said the Almajiri system is not the problem but the way it is handled.
He said: “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.”
He added that the system needs to be reformed.
“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 his Okorocha Foundation had established schools in Kano, Yola, Zaria and Sokoto with the sole aim of providing education to the Almajiri.
