A couple of weeks ago, I was approached by a psychiatrist, Jibril Abdulmalik, at a Maiduguri internet café. He inquired if I was the one highlighting the need to help the “almajirai” (beggar boys) with dry season farming. I affirmed that our local non-governmental organization (INTERCEP) hopes to help afflicted groups of northern Nigeria like them. He then came to the office last week and gave me more background into his interest on the issue. His objective is to present a paper this year in Istanbul, Turkey on adolescent psychiatry and the plight of the almajirai.
Not much is documented into the actual health hazards of the almajirai but especially the social aspects of “quasi-homelessness” have not been highlighted. Hence, Dr. Abdulmalik is researching psychoactive substance abuse among the boys (almajirai) in the informal religious schools in northern Nigeria. “Almajiri” is a term used widely in northern Nigeria to describe boys sent to live with and receive religious instruction from Quranic teachers. According to Jibril, unable to cater for their needs, the teachers send the children to beg and do menial jobs. Drug use and other forms of high risk behavior have not yet been studied among this group of “practically homeless” boys.
Therefore, Jibril is aiming to determine the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of substance use among the almajirai. He used a cross-sectional survey, using a multi-stage sampling technique. Confidential interviews were conducted in informal community settings on 340 almajirai between the ages of 5 and 16. The overall prevalence of substance abuse was 66%! The most frequently used substances were stimulants (49%), volatile solvents (21%), cigarettes (19%), and marijuana (18%). The least used were alcohol (3%), sedatives (3%) and dried papaya leaves (5%).
In Dr. Abdulmalik’s study, boys from polygamous homes had a higher prevalence of drug use than those from monogamous homes. The use of marijuana had a significant relationship with polygamous families, loneliness, and separation from parents. This study provides the first tangible evidence of the high prevalence of drug use among the almajirai of northern Nigeria. This finding has far reaching implications for the present and future of the communities where these children reside. This is exactly the rationale behind INTERCEP’s passion to advocate drip irrigation farming in the almajirai villages of origin.
Last night during our family devotional, we read about the Messiah’s invitation to little children as his disciples desired to hinder them. In a culture of poverty where survival is paramount, it may appear impractical to focus on boy’s who are under the care of someone else. However, the Son of Man’s acceptance of children during a busy life of ministry teaches us that their humility reflected his heart. Boys who lose hope after begging for a living easily turn to narcotic substances to satisfy the longings of their hearts. Let’s pray for the Almighty to use us as compassionate tools for Him to satisfy the yearning of their hearts.
Almajiri being trained in transplanting seedlings
Boy selling street sugar cane
Dusty almajiri at roadside village
