THE WEEPING CHILD: NEGLECT ALMAJEERIES IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

   GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
BY:
HABIBU GENTE
DATE:   Saturday,11 February, 2017.

"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious convictions". Blaise Pascal.
" Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities ". Voltaire.
This topic of  today's column will of course generate much controversy. I knew that, much more than my previous articles that exposes my opinion and standpoint in the current administration. Many scholars and social commentators alike, especially those from the northern part of the country tend to ignored or are too busy in worldly accumulation which made them nonchalant over seeing these innocents teenagers suffering on this earth. The muslims clergies (not all of them of course,)are to my own view, the machineries of these aberration of 'almajeeries'. They channels every forms of the inevitability of its occurrence. Amazingly, the few intellectuals I knew were so silence on this burning issue which kept me in doubt for so long. Was it that its doesn't worth their commentary, or its intellectually exclusive so much that it could not add ink to their already bank of literary ocean. Who knows, may be it is a ruse against political threat. Whatsoever is the case I don't think would justify their intellectual exclusivism  and socio-economic abandonment these innocent children endure in every minutes of every day of their lives and living as second class citizens in their own country. Despite the intellectual timidity many social critics and activists portrayed on the issue of 'almajeeries', (especially  we Northerners whose it affect negatively).  I will  stake being arrogant, and break the long unjustifiable silence.
     Although, I wouldn't risk being drowned into ocean of ignorance. But with my shallow knowledge of Islamic religion, and my attentive assimilation from intermittently listening of  Islamic scholars over radios or audios tape. Scholars of course, whose erudition, rectitude, and integrity would have prevented them from remaining silent when an error in society morals was committed. Though, i tried to stayed away from it but fairness required my interjection.
These almajeeries' are pervasive everywhere in Kano and Kaduna, estimably there are about three thousands in each of the state respectively. Children of age six- twelfth or thereabout, teenagers who suppose to be in the confers of their parents, enjoying the warms of their mothers and all the filial love such child do receive from the parents. Its pity and heartbroken to see a teen wandering in the streets, public places and religious centers only because he doesn't have anyone to offer him parental love and care. Your 'love' is more important to them than the 'food' and 'knowledge' you falsely misguide the children to go and acquire in the city. One will see a situation where child of teen aged will be forced by the parents from a village in the name of acquisition of Islamic religion knowledge, whilst such parents will be pleased and relaxing in the village and leave the child suffering in the city.
     Such misguidance was as a result of 'little learning' of the religion and on occasions from the  misconception of the religious injunctions by headstrong conservative religion scholars who can't adopt to  the changing circumstances to fit in  time and era. I'm very sure that there isn't any Islamic injunction of either the Qur'an or Prophetic tradition that recommend childbearing without making it mandatory for the parents their responsibilities toward caring the children. If there is any, you can help me. Must you born children ceaselessly just because your religion recommended such, while in reality you can't fulfill your responsibility?, just for you to let the children transform into tugs, beggars, rubbers and sort of illicit behaviour. There is a challenge in our societies today, and it is the responsibilities of the religion scholars and clergy men to clear this dragon of misconceptions and misguidance our people in the rural and remote settings were swallowed into. Every parents should know that you  will  be asked in the day of resurrection by your creator how you administered your children affairs and if you can't give a satisfactory answers, I'm sorry, it is that day you will know that you are been misguided by  your ignorance, thinking you are acting upon the religion injunction.
    Our government too contributed to this aberration. No any governmental policy seem to give attention to the rehabilitation and reintegration of these almajeeries' into schools and reforms centers for them to regain their lost psychological security of isolation. For them to initiate such policy, rather Kano state government struggling to spend outrageous money in building railway and some unnecessary projects that were designed to serve and protect the privileges. such is pathetic when there are common  social basic things that are crying to be attended.  The Muslim clergies should begin to preach to people the danger of neglecting children. And the state government should impose a policy that can restrict parents from sending children to learning  from local Islamic scholars. I was paralyzed with fear, stunning emotionally when I saw teen children who should be in the school,begging for food to eat. I was left with no option than to take pictures of them, here is the pictures of innocent children glimmering from grinned-hard faces. You will weep ceaselessly.

WORLD GREATEST AFRICANS BLACK LEADERS

GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
By
Habibu Gente
Date: Saturday,13th August 2016.

Of course there are many great individuals who lived on this earth with theirs memories still fresh in the minds of those who cherish their ideas. However, in some corners of the earth there emerged world greatest African leaders. Those black individuals who suddenly emerged from nowhere and inspired not only their black fork but the larger world with its vastness, these men made  history with their powerful oratory and sincere ideas they cherished so dearly. A great speech does not just capture the truth of its era, it can also capture the big lie. Men who left their footprints on the sand of history.The words and stories of their moments that made history.
What I did is to arranged them according to how in my convictions and subconscious think greatest they are and the scale of their individual difficulties and obstacles they have to amidst. And in the process if fall into err I will ever humbly stand to be corrected.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR
BORN; Jan. 15, 1929
DIED;  April. 4, 1968 {age 39}
NATURE OF DEATH; Assignation
OCCUPATION; Clergyman, Activist
ORGANIZATION; Southern Christian Leadership Conference
SPEECHS;, Montgomery bus boycott, prayer pilgrimage for freedom, march against fear, march on Washington for job and freedom. Etc.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Martin Luther King was a America Baptist minister and activist who was a leader in the African-American civil rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolence civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs.
King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott and help found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference [SCLC] in 1957, serving as its first President.
The most fascinating thing about Dr. king is his powerful oratory which he used coupled with the nonviolence protest not only to free the blacks but also to change their situation in the face of the whites in America. After his assignation on april 4 in Memphis, Tennesse. His death is followed by riots in many U.S. cities. King was posthumously awarded the Presidential medal for freedom and the congressional Gold Medal.  Today in U.S. Dr. King day was established as a holiday in numerous cities and states beginning in 1971. And as U.S. federal holiday in 1986. Hundreds of streets have been renamed in his honor, and a county in Washington state was also renamed for him. The Martin Luther King Jr. memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was dedicated in 2011.

      MALCOLM X.


BORN; May 19, 1925
DIED; February 21, 1965
NATURE OF DEATH; Assassination
OCCUPATION; Activist
ORGANIZATION; Nation of Islam. Later,Sunni Islam

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
He was born Malcolm Little, and later known as  El-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz. He was African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was courageous advocate for the rights of the blacks. A man who indicted America in the harshest terms for its crimes against blacks Americans, detractors accused him of preaching racism and violence. He has been called one of the greatest and most influential African-Americans in history.
After the murder of his father at 15 Malcolm left school and moved with his sister in Boston where he gradually became involved in criminal activities. In 1946 he was jailed for drug-pushing and burglary. In prison he was drawn to the ascetic ideas of Nation of Islam movement, led by Elijah Muhammad. On his release in 1953 Malcolm Little joined the movement. He studied personally with Muhammad and by 1954 he was the leader of the mosque in Herlem. He changed his name to Malcolm X, symbolizing his new life as an ‘ex-smoker, ex-drinker, ex-Christian, ex-slave.
In 1964, Malcolm x visited Mecca. He converted to orthodox Islam and to began believe in the personality of brotherhood between blacks and whites. On his return he founded the Organization of Afro-American unity and began holding meetings in Herlem to promote its policies. A week before he gave his speech his house was bombed by the Nation of islam. He was preaching at Herlem’s Audubon Ballroom when he was assassinated.
TO BE CONTINUED SUNDAY.

WORLD GREATEST AFRICANS BLACK LEADERS

GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
By
Habibu Gente
Date: Sunday,14th August 2016.

Of course there are many great individuals who lived on this earth with theirs memories still fresh in the minds of those who cherish their ideas. However, in some corners of the earth there emerged world greatest African leaders. Those black individuals who suddenly emerged from nowhere and inspired not only their black fork but the larger world with its vastness, these men made  history with their powerful oratory and sincere ideas they cherished so dearly. A great speech does not just capture the truth of its era, it can also capture the big lie. Men who left their footprints on the sand of history.The words and stories of their moments that made history.
What I did is to arranged them according to how in my convictions and subconscious think greatest they are and the scale of their individual difficulties and obstacles they have to amidst. And in the process if fall into err I will ever humbly stand to be corrected.
3.                             MOHANDAS  GANDHI
 BORN; October 2, 1869
 DIED;  January 30, 1948
 NATURE OF DEATH; Assassination
OCCUPATION;  Lawyer, Activist
ORGANIZATION; Activist of non-violence campaign for Independence
SPEECHS; There Is no salvation for India, I am laying my heart bare, Our languages are the reflection of ourselves.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Mohandas Gandhi born in India, his mother a keen follower of Jainist beliefs in the importance of non-violence and vegetarianism, as the influence on him. He studied law in England and once qualified worked in India and South Africa. Where he remained for 20years. Returning to India during world war I, Gandhi early thoughts on India’s need to gain independence from British rule. He entered politics. His beliefs led to his repeated imprisonment before independence was finally achieved in 1947. This, together with his self-sacrificing lifestyle, work for religious unity and championing of the rights of the poor, earned him the title ‘Mahatma’ [great soul].
Through reading Thoreau, Tolstoy, the new testament and Hindu scriptures, Gandhi developed the creed of non-violence resistance known as SATYAGRAHA [steadfastness in truth]. ‘He believed that truth was vindicated not by inflicting suffering on one’s opponent but on onself and that the opponent must be weaned from error by patience and sympathy’. This more passive resistance because it depended upon a positive and continuous interaction between the two parties with the aim of reconciliation. He also worked to hard to improve the status of the HARIJANS [ untouchables] and tried to create closer bonds between Muslims and Hindus. When independence was finally achieved in 1947.
Gandhi spent 2,338 days in jail and fasted on many occasions, he left a legacy of non-violence teachings that influenced political activists around the world, including Martin Luther King Jr.
One of his famous quote is ‘ our salvation can only come through the farmer. Neither the lawyers, nor the doctors, nor the rich landlords are going to secure it’.

4.         NELSON ROHLAHLA MANDELA
BORN; July 18, 1918
 DIED; December 10, 2013
 NATURE OF DEATH
OCCUPATION; Lawyer, Political activist.
ORGANIZATION; African National Congress [ANC]
SPEECHS; I am the first Accused, Free at last, It is an idea for which I am prepared to die.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Nelson Mandela born in Umtata. Transkei,  the eldest son of a Xhosa-speaking Tempu chief in Trenskei. He attended Methodist missionary school and later gained a law degree at Witwatersrand university, the only black student at the law school. In 1952 he opened the first black law firm in johanesburg with Oliver Tambo, later of the African National Congress leader in exile. In 1948 Mandela help found ANC youth league. In 1964 he was imprisoned for life for plotting violent revolution. During 1970s and 1980s world protest against apartheid grew, with increased demand for Mandela’s release. In 1989 newly elected president F.W de klex accelerated the dismantling of apartheid. In 1990 the ban on the ANC was lifted and Mandela was release unconditionally. Mandela became a symbolic figurehead for anti-aparthied and anti-racist campaign throughout the world. In 1994, four years after his release from prison, the ANC won the south African election and Mandela became president.
The most famous quote of his which of course embodied his sincerity of his ideas and the love he had for his people, is ‘ I fought against the whites domination and I fought against black domination, I cherish the idea of a democratic and free society in which all humans will live in harmony with equal opportunities. Its an idea I hope and  to live for, but my lord, if need be it is an idea for which I am prepared to die’.
CONCLUDED

THE FORGOTTEN BLACK HEROES OF AFRICAN.

GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
By
Habibu Gente
Date: Saturday 20, 2016

As there are warlords and warlike warriors, so are distinguished heroes of artistry and revolutionary. Personalities who fought a pen war against our oppressors for decades they leave their homes comfort and Hospitable environment, to traveled far across the sea of  disparity and trials to finally climb the mountains of opposition searching a whole new life of the generations to come. All these they do for us just to have a decent living with freedom of choice. Its so pathetic that their names fallout from our mouths, and historians did not earn them a place in their history books. Many of them left us long while just few remain with us today. Brave men like Frantz fanon, kwame Nkrumah, kofi annan, Aminu kano. Etc .
   Still the rule applied, i read about many brave men, fighters who struggle with their precious lives in the defence of their kingdoms and people against the colonial power. But when i come across these particular heroes ( to me they are heroes more than those who fought with weapons like guns, archer, and other deadly ammunition). I told myself if the world left these such of heroes to take the lead in battle fronts, we will be living in a world of peaceful but intellectual where pens and intellect will do the upheaval. Of course there may be those who will disagree with my conclusion as to these men to be heroes of African, but even if you have to. For sure your reasoning will spare me atleast to include one of them.
                     FRANTZ OMAR FANON
 Born: 20, July 1925
 Died: 6, December 1961
 Era:   20th century philosophy
 School: Maxian existentialism
 Influence: Karl marx, Aime Cesaire, Negritude.


                 BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Frantz Omar Fanon  was a
Martinique -born Afro-Caribbean
psychiatrist, philosopher ,
revolutionary ,was a
Martinique -born Afro-Caribbean
psychiatrist, philosopher ,
revolutionary , and writer whose works are influential in the fields of post-colonial studies , critical theory , and
Marxism .As an intellectual, Fanon was a political radical , Pan-Africanist , and a Marxist humanist concerned with the psychopathology of
colonization , and the human, social, and cultural consequences of
decolonization .
In the course of his work as a physician and psychiatrist, Fanon supported the Algerian War of Independence from France, and was a member of the Algerian National Liberation Front . For more than four decades, the life and works of Frantz Fanon have inspired national liberation movements and other radical political organisations in Palestine , Sri Lanka , the U.S. and South Africa.  One more fascinating thing about this great man was his book written "Wreched of the Earth".

                     KWAME NKRUMAH

Born:18, September 1909
Died: 27, April 1972
 Political party: United Gold coast convention (1947-1949).
Occupation: Activist, politician


                BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Kwame Nkrumah  led Ghana to independence from Britain in 1957 and served as its first prime minister and president . Nkrumah first gained power as leader of the colonial Gold Coast , and held it until he was deposed in 1966.
An influential 20th-century advocate of
Pan-Africanism , he was a founding member of the Organization of African Unity and was the winner of the Lenin Peace Prize in 1962.
Nkrumah was an activist student, organizing a group of expatriate African students in Pennsylvania and building it into the African Students Association of America and Canada, becoming its president. Some members felt that the group should aspire for each colony to gain independence on its own; Nkrumah urged a Pan-African strategy. Nkrumah played a major role in the Pan-African conference held in New York in 1944, which urged the United States, at the end of the Second World War , to help ensure Africa became independent states.

One his memorable quote that always cultivate and inspired most of African leaders and freedom fighter, whenever there is need for African liberation. Its speech he delivered in pan-Africanism  conference. It goes like this "Just as in the days of the Egyptians, so today God had ordained that certain among the African race should journey westwards to equip themselves with knowledge and experience for the day when they would be called upon to return to their motherland and to use the learning they had acquired to help improve the lot of their brethren . . . I had not realized at the time that I would contribute so much towards the fulfillment of this prophecy".

   These brave men impact will continued to inspired and encouraged us as young Africans in the course of searching our identity as blacks people.

MODERN MARRIED WOMEN: THE COLONIZER OF MATRIMONIAL HOMES

GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
By
Habibu Gente
Date:  Saturday,  10,2016


The troubles with every homes can trace its originality in one way or the other, in the first decade of 21st century. This historical epoch coincides with the mass exodus of women from their parent’s houses to their husbands homes, where it suppose to be their permanent abode { in this world} if such marriage life spared with the trial of time.
        Although, all these mentioned are historical trite, however, the focus of this paper is to visit the domineering house-wives over their tame husbands. And to make an intellectual journey through the minds and mental life of those totalitarian house-wives.
Facts and life experiences testified for many a time most of the grievances, hatred and petty frivolities sowed as seed that later germinated into a tantamount tree of disunity and symbols of broken homes within and among families ties { particularly husband and his relatives in family homes} are to the extent those colonizers tyrannized their matrimonial homes. The depiction of their bully and cowed of every taciturn and frail-hearted individuals if they happen to reside with them. It’s affront to the conventional family system if a house-wife would be the authority of a house{ where her soul duty is to be house-wife and not decider of the family  matters}. By extension is so pathetic and prudish of any husband who allow such indulgence for his wife to colonized his house to such an extent where if his family member or any relatives could not feel at home{ that is if such person is given an impression and lured in such a piteous house.}. with every of his moves being supervised only just to figure out any slip up, every minute of his stay being censured, every of his unavoidable mistakes lambasted without a good justification. Such a tawdry disservice by many house-wives are without not a cause. The foray of the house-wives against the innocents relatives were as a result of the perpetual reticent of their husbands. you have every cause to doubt my assertion, but that will not last for long in your mind, if you are encountered with the reality ; here is a pathetic story of a friend of mine;  As a  aged man he was incidentally thrust into a home of his relative, which he admitted to me as ‘unfortunate life experience’. He said all is well with the family{ they are all Muslims and the husband is well off }  blessed with wife and children. At the first half of his stay it was enjoyable moments {solemnly because no any troubles} but all the psychological tussle begin in the second part of his stay, specifically during the month of Ramadan. My friend said the wife is so nice to him only when he do all the domestic chores for her { which we knew too well are house-wives duties} when he realize this, he continue helping for sometimes, but what stroke my friend is the never-showed gratitude and appreciation as human nature always yawn for whenever one does for someone what they suppose to do as their duty. But the regnant ingrate of the woman unguided mind mislead her to shunned away  and think of him the same way a women will look upon her co-wife. When my friend  finally decided not to indulge in such a ‘helping hand’ she berated him  and attack him with ‘hunger punishment’ for the rest of his stay in the house { the worst thing that can never even be done to a slave}.
        Every sincere person may ask after reading the story of my helpless friend in the hand of the domineer house-wife as to where is the husband { the suppose commander of the house} Alas, he is being strangle in the shackles of wife slavery and battling with the direct imperialism of modernized married-wife ruling and the intoxication of love-laced poison.

POLITICAL DELIVERY: RIGHT OR PRIVILAGE

GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
By
Habibu Gente
Date: Saturday,  17, September. 2016
I usually laughed off with unquenched rage, anytime I watched the ribaldry Nigeria political jest by our pungent  politicians always making the country political atmosphere a arena of drollness with their fake and insincere promises that never fill a basket.
The worst of their prankish politics that stroke me hard, whenever they were elected by their people in reciprocal gesture of delivery of all the promises they made during their election campaigns. {Which we knew they hardly  fulfill}.  They will find excuses to scapegoat the government of their political era, when we all know too well that their only business is not to serve the interest of their suppose people who elected them to represent them in government.{they  are villains in our nation politics not only soaked our resources but vying to robbed us our right to education } Instead to leave the hungry lion to sleep peacefully, as if those their political selfishness  and never-fulfill election promises not enough for us their constant oppressors  { Masses}. They would  have to comeback to us again when the eve of another election is underway to look us as fools, making us ignorant of their lavish and embellish lives they are living with their mistresses travelling abroad every now and then with our own resources. Thereafter rushes into our villages begin executing  their political projects { uncompleted roads, schools, hospitals and bore-holes, that is if you are lucky to be remembered} these they only used to blindfold our consciousness and sensitivity.
The crux of it all is their tactical political banter and follies of sharing and distribution of unsustainable money to the poor and innocent s ignorant in the villages and in other political disconnected areas in the country. Just to lure them to vote , the funniest part of it is that those ‘merciless and miscreants politicians’ will be expecting gratitude and sense of appreciation from those poor misinformed innocents { those that are supposed to be served sincerely not being used as political slaves}.  Let us educate our people of the country’s politics that delivery of campaign promises isn’t a privilege but our inalienable rights that must be fulfilled , let them know that  we can’t beg for our rights just as we would not beg to live, we must live as free men and women and they must serve our interests in the government .let them know they went there in our interest not theirs, which mean as it is obligatory for us to vote them into political offices it is equally their duty to deliver to us our rights to education, good health care for free, good roads, electricity , healthy bore –holes,  and all other necessities for decent living as human beings not as animals in the zoo or slaves in their masters homes. THESE WE MUST LET THEM KNOW!.