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From Gyang Bere, Jos
The founder of Engausa Global Technology Hub, Engr Mustapha Habu Ringim, has said his organisation will sustain the legacy of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s vision of training the Almajiri of Northern Nigeria through the provision of digital skills for the underprivileged.
Ringim in a statement tagged, President Goodluck Jonathan walking the Almajiriri talks and issued to Journalists in Jos yesterday said the innovation of the Almajiri school initiative by the former President was laudable.
He described the lack of sustenance of the project as a serious challenge and a disservice by Northern elites who have not taken a sincere effort to continue with the Almajiri System of Education.
Ringim noted that Engausa Global Technology Hub is determined to continue with the Almajiri school system in Northern Nigeria through the provision of digital skills such as Graphic design, computer networking, social media literacy, creativity and innovation.
He said, “The innovative ALMAJIRI SCHOOL initiatives of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathon was, directly or indirectly, challenging all our Northern elites on the intense need for a proper plan and execution of any sustainable way of curtailing the menace of our bastardized Almajiri System of Education.
“He did his best during his tenure, and we are expecting the incumbent government and the next one to build on where the immediate past government stopped, to ensure continuity.
“I don’t know how Northern Nigeria is becoming so loose that our communities find it difficult to maintain such essential infrastructures like those installed in the ALMAJIRI SCHOOL SYSTEM initiated by GEJ’s government.
“We allowed the structures and the equipment to rot away, instead of optimising the system. We abandoned the schools and no one cares to adopt the strategy even in our localities, neither from our individual Philanthropists nor from the NGOs within our communities.”
Ringim said most elites in Northern Nigeria are only good at criticism without any action to better the lots of the region.
“Our elites rather spend their energy on empty discussions and promises. While in a situation like the one Arewa is subjected to, action is most needed, with less noise. Though we all agree that “facta non verba”, actions speak louder than words, we always end up talking the wrong walk, instead of walking the right talks.
“We started a model of such a system within our jurisdiction, called ENGAUSAR ALMAJIRAI, under Engausa Global Tech. Hub, which had recently attracted an intervention from NITDA Nigeria and from a solo Philanthropist from Jos Plateau State, Alh. Yusuf Yahaya Kwande. I don’t want to say much about the outcomes at the moment until we achieve enough to discuss. I always prepare walking the talk instead of the opposite.” He stated.
He explained that there was an effort to revamp the Tsangaya System in Kano State during the Administration of Mal Shekarau where the Almajiriri system was transformed to provide a sustainable livelihood for both the Almajiri and their teachers.
Ringim regretted that the novel initiative headed by Dr Bashir Galadanci was abolished by the successive government and the achievements abandoned, showing the implications of lack of continuity in governance.
He said this was the same manner the Kano ICT Park and Jigawa Galaxy Back borne and informatics suffered a setback from unpatriotic people at the helm of the affairs in Northern Nigeria.
“Both Jigawa and Kano would have been ahead of Lagos in terms of the digital ecosystem and digital economy, because as of 2005, Jigawa was the best ICT State in Nigeria, as a result of the achievements recorded from those iconic “digital wings”.
Ringim noted that Northern Nigeria needs patriotic and purposeful leaders such as Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum who has made sacrifices to redefine and change the narratives of governance.
“With such Zulum’s obvious achievements, the progress recorded under Shekarau in Kano, and that of Goodluck at the federal level, we now have a concrete reason to disagree with anyone who thinks Nigerians will never be taken to the proverbial promised land,” he stated.
