MURIC REJECTS KUKAH’S PLAN

RE: MURIC REJECTS KUKAH’S PLAN TO TRAIN 10 MILLION ALMAJIRIS

Fr Stephen Ojapah MSP

Director: Dialogue and Ecumenism 

I read with utter shock, MURIC’S rejection of Kukah’s plan to train 10 million Almajiris, I could have placed, a personal call to Professor Ishaq Akintola to ask personal questions just like my big brother Fr Professor Cornelius Omonokhua did, I admire him for wanting to inquire from him personally. But I feel a bit differently in the approach to enquire for now because MURIC’s position is in the public domain. I pray I meet Professor Akintolapersonally soon. 

I live all my life in the Northern part of Nigeria; and as a Catholic Priest, I work in Sokotodiocese that covers, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara and Katstina, States I live with the Almajiris in every street and all corners of these states; to say the least, the almajiris are sign of a collective failure and a society that cares less about the quality of its citizens, I wish MURIC and many other Northern Muslim groups who might want to stand by the position of MURIC, imagine that it is their own children that are the subjects of discussion here. However, it’s very sad to square the almajiri system within the purview of Islam, for those who travel to Saudi Arabia the headquarters of the two most important shrines of Islam, how many Almajirishave they picked up in the streets of Saudi Arabia, or Kuwait, or Turkey, or Egypt etc, 

There are unbelievable allegations and insinuations that the professor levelled against Bishop Kukah’s Intentions,

First he said “Kukah’s proposal is a ploy for evangelization, Modern Colonialism, and a potential time bomb” I cant believe MURIC said that; but it’s very obvious they did. How does professor Akintola understands the role of the missionaries that first had contact with some parts of Nigeria as far back as the 14th century around the Benin Kingdom, what is colonial about the education of children who roam our streets begging for food to eat? The British Empire like the Roman Empire or the Ottoman Empire where out on expedition and acquisition of territory everywhere they could; Asia, Africa, Europe etc, Modern Colonialism; as a concept to be applied for the training of the Almajirichildren is to say the least uncharitable, 

Furthermore Professor Akintola said “we all agreed that something must be done about the Almajiri children, we can welcome ideas from everyone but the implementation must be in the hands of Muslims in the region, any other thing will make the intention questionable. We cannot be so naïve as to entrust our Muslim children to the hands of Christian gospellers.” Unbelievable!!! Dear professor, with these remarks I humble advice that you check again and again the role of Catholic educational system and its impacts in Nigeria, for the pastten years LOYOLA JESUIT COLLEGE an institutional run by Catholic Missionaries have remain prime in WAEC results; their students and products have remain global standards studying in the most prestigious Universities round the world; many of them are Muslims. These experience can be found in many other Catholic Institutions run by Christian “gospellers” Dominican College Gusau, one of the best schools in Zamfara state if not the best is run by The Dominican Sisters of St Catherine of Sienna, another group of Christian “gospellers” 70% of the students are Muslims, St Louis Secondary School one of the Oldest schools in Kano state is run by another set of Christian gospellers, unbelievable percentage of the students are Muslims. In 2016, St Vincent Ferrer College Malumfashi  Katsina State  run by the Dominican Sisters of St Catherine Of Sienna  came first in NECO exams in the entire state  and the two best students; one male and one female where all Muslims. These are few schools in the North run by Christian gospellersand the children of the rich and the elites of the north attend. Why does Professor Akintola feel a different standard for the poor Almajiris? 

The professor said the children have teachers and their parents entrusted them to their teachers? And that learning takes place their ‘somehow’; well I have a strong feeling that professor Akintola is a devout Muslim who loves his faith and loves the academic world, and that is why he can rationally argue through a phenomenon, but can the almajiri system raise a child to the level of a 21st century intelligentsia, that can read the Holy Quran in Arabic and the same time understand, Physics and Chemistry, Medical Laboratory Sciences and Further Mathematics and Geography? 

I wish to admire the humble submission of the professor, when he said “We know from experience that whatever happens will be a point of reference in the near future, who will be there to bear the shame at that time? You are absolutely right!! But am very suspicious of your words here. Bishop Kukah may not have the resources as an individual to carry out such a task, but am happy he has awaken the sleeping Giants in this country North or West it’s in the good interest of Nigeria that the 12 Million Almajiris become Medical doctors to save lives, or pilots, or Astronomers, or Engineers and still holding on to their Quranic and Arabic educations. 

Finally; Professor Akintola said and I quote “whatever the situation may be, we caution Northern Muslims, particularly the elders, never to allow it to happen because Kukah’s almajiridream is a Trojan horse”. At this juncture I will to align my thoughts with Karl Max who once said that Religion is the opium of the masses. For decades these same elders the professor is rousing their sentiments now; have watched the Almajiris move our streets on bare foots with rubber plates and dirty clothes from morning till evening. A quest for a better life for them now have become a religious issue.