Keg Of Gun Powder

I ran into Kabiru (an Almajiri boy I used to know years back while in school), he is all grown now & was even the one who recognized me. "Seeegu, Seegu, Seegu", he screamed & running towards me. I had wanted to take to my heels. Ehehehehehehe! One look at his face, I knew I'd seen him before but cannot place my finger as to where. Until he said, in a very funny but twisted English, "na me nau, the boy wey dey come your hostel for poly." Immediately, the face clicked. We hugged & shook hands. "Wow," I exclaimed. "Wetin you dey chop Kabir? See ya chest. You dey do body building ni?!". You need to see his frame-looking like Arnold. He smiled.

"I now drive motor for one big man, my fada him friend. I "driver" him from here in Kaduna to Kano & everywhere he wan go". "Nice", I added. And we talked about so many other things. We exchanged phone numbers & he told me he actually came to Kaduna to talk to one of his childhood 'almajiri' friends to come take up a job in Kano. He beckoned on the said friend whom he called 'Jugunu.' and asked me to help persuade him.

Jugunu stood at almost 7ft, his voice husky. Looked unkempt, smelt of tyre patch solution & wore dirty jean & hood (inside hot Kaduna sun o!) His teeth, caked with thick dirt-you will know they were not washed. He was quiet pleasant & responded well while we spoke. But his fears, "inna bar wanan aiki nan a garaji, ya zan yi n chi abinchi?" (If I leave this job at the garage, what will I eat?) And I said, the job your friend got for you in Kano nko? He said, "por Kano, za politicians nor dey gib beta money por politics". I replied, "but its not thuggery you are going for but to become a driver!"

He laughed & replied, "I no pit drib o...I dey maki more moni por pollo politicians than direba". I stood there frozen!

  Now, I see hundreds of such young, able bodied men roaming the streets every day. Some have become so daring-they wait for you to alight from your transport & shove a plastic bowl in your face, "sadaka dan Allah"-Give To Me In God's Name. Boys from age 6 & above, in rag tag clothes, no footware on, some may have not taken their bath in months (some self nor dey wash teeth.) But what bugs me is that they come out on a daily basis & I wonder, where they sleep? Who are their parents? Who cares about them? What will they become? Will they kill if offered peanuts? Conclusion; They are vulnerable.

If something is not done about them quick & soon, they will grow up just like Kabir and make a choice themsleves; what they become may not be something that will help us all. Those who have ears, let them hear..."we are sitting on a keg of gun powder. The almajiri boys are fast becoming boys, daring & idle"


What do we do?!


Culled From: Segun .G. Onibiyo ( OSMG)