The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar II, has called on the Northern Governors’ Forum to tackle the rising number of out-of-school children in Northern Nigeria.
According to the Daily Trust, Abubakar, who is also the President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), stated that millions of children across the region lack access to education.
The Sultan made these remarks on Monday while addressing the Northern Governors Forum at a meeting held in Kaduna.
Emphasizing the dangers and implications of this issue, he urged the governors to include it in their discussions and pledged support for the successful establishment of an Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Commission.
“One thing I didn’t hear about is the establishment of the Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Commission by the federal government, which we 100 percent support, and the leader of that team has already been with us to discuss it.
“I think we must include it in our discussions today because the issue of out-of-school children and Almajiri is a core problem for all of us. When you go around the states, towns, cities, and villages, what you see is very unpleasant.
“We have so many children—hundreds, if not thousands, or millions—roaming about. This commission must be supported by all of us so that it succeeds. I’m sure if it succeeds, we will all say, ‘yes, we are on the way to the world of freedom.’ Once you educate someone, you give them the freedom to be themselves, to work for themselves, and to serve humanity.
“We are ready to work with you, and you can reach out to us anytime. I strongly believe that this group of Northern governors will make the North a better and safer place.
“Please listen to us when we say certain things; we are not criticizing you. We are stating things as they are, based on what we hear from our people. All you need to do is listen patiently because a leader must be patient with the people he is leading.
“You cannot know it all; you don’t know it all and will never know it all. When you bring good people close to you, listen to their advice, and act on it, you will take the glory, and people will say, ‘this governor is excellent,’ not realizing there are people working for him 24/7.
“So let’s work together because there is a new sense of direction and commitment with the present governors.”
By Helen Okechukwu
