THE ALMAJIRI SYSTEM AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
Over 200 million people, many tribes and religions, countless cultures and traditions; we are free to practice whatever way of life we choose. However, the Constitution is supposed to be the rallying point, where we can strike a balance in order to ensure that we do not abuse our happiness and freedom. In other words, traditions are harmless until they are found to be contrary to natural justice, equity and good conscience. Sadly, with the way certain practices are carried out by some groups of people in Nigeria, the questions that readily come to mind are: is the Constitution really the Grundnorm? Are some religious/traditional practices greater than the provisions of the Constitution? One of such practices is ALMAJIRI practiced in northern Nigeria. Is Almajiri a bad practice? The word “Almajiri” is derived from the Arabic phrase “Al muhajirun”, meaning “an emigrant”. It usually refers to an emigrant who moves from his home to stay with a popular teacher in the quest for ...