BEGGING GRADUALLY BECOMING A CONCERN IN NIGERIA

It is a known fact that cities across the world are confronted with diverse and complex problems which have socio-economic and physical implications for city dwellers. These problems as experienced by cities of less developed countries, are enormous and multidimensional in nature.

One obvious manifestation of these problems, especially in Nigeria, is begging, that is the act of asking people for money, food, clothes. The problem of begging is a social menace which has a negative implication not only for economies of the cities, socio- physical environment but also for beggars themselves.

Begging is a complex social problem with no quick fix. It is universal. Even some of the advanced nations in the world including the United States of America and the United Kingdom have beggars in one form or the other. It is therefore important to understand why people turn to begging. It only by understands the problem that a workable solution may be found to either minimize the problem or at least contain it.

A woman using her twins kids to beg for money

                                 

Nigerians are noted for their hospitality and the elders say that the “stranger does not need to sleep on the street”. The community always took care of its poor, to a degree that had no parallel in any other society. The proverbial Nigerian hospitality was alive. We took care of the poor, the unemployed, children and those disadvantaged in society. We shared meals, provided shelter and helped in various other ways. This generosity used to pervade the society; we were all each other’s keeper. However, a continuously high level of unemployment, high cost of living, and an economy that has double-digit inflation, coupled with a society that has lost it traditional values, have combined to undermine the overall economic and political context and weakened those structures that helped to care for the needy. We hide our food from others and there is a tendency in the Nigerian society of today to respect people who have money, people who have wealth. If you are not wealthy you have very little respect. Thus people with a disability and children are generally in the lower strata of the society. They are not valued and have very little self-esteem.

What is worrying is the number of able-bodied beggars in the streets. Among this group of able-bodied beggars are the vocational or professional beggars who believe that they will earn more begging than they would in a regular job. They have made begging into an art form. They have very well made stories, some written on placards, which make it difficult for you to resist making a donation. Some of these able-bodied persons could be seen leading the blind, pushing the lame in wheelchairs or using children to beg. There are few in this group who are driven to this activity mainly because there are no jobs.

Group of beggers

A walk through the Broad streets of Lagos will seem to suggest that the overwhelming majority of people involved in begging are people with a disability and children. In view of this, I am of the opinion that if we can improve the lot of people with disabilities and children we would have taken a step along the way to reducing the incidence of the problem. It is therefore important to turn attention to why people with disabilities and children form the bulk of beggars in Lagos.

They do not care about the image of the country not to talk of their own. Usually, caution is thrown to the wind. Sadly enough, those in authority do not care nor take notice of this development. At most road junctions across the country where you have policemen as well as other agencies on duty, some are more interested in begging.
‘Corporate Beggars’ are actually more of pickpockets and conmen than beggars. The most unfortunate of this category of beggars are those who pose as ministers of the Gospel to beg. They tell you tales of how they are going for a church programme but have no money to go.
LISTEN HERE 
One notorious one in Festac/Satellite goes around with his wife and baby begging motorists for money, flashing fake pastoral identity card. While an average person thinks in terms of dignity and the joy that comes from creating something which has the potential to change someone else’s life, professional beggars think in terms of Naira and Kobo. Can the Nigerian nation continue like this?

Begging does not fundamentally arise out of the urban space, and hence cannot be resolved within its confines alone. It is important to attempt to understand the main causes of the problem and then and only then can appropriate strategies be developed to address the problem. The “one size fit all” approach will not work. The real solution, perhaps, is to recognize and address the structural and physical issues in society, expand livelihood options in the national economy, reduce unemployment and put in place programs and strategies to improve the lot of people with a disability bearing in mind.

Another key challenge is the attitudinal change. This can only be done through education. The churches and civil society have a role to play in this exercise. The government should also pay more attention to the problems and interests of people with a disability and put in place well resourced rehabilitation programs. This could be done in partnership with various communities and the peak body for people with a disability.

We should also take steps to reduce the number of motor traffic accidents as these have caused many people to become disabled. Too many lives are lost on Nigerian roads in a year. In the Australian Capital Territory a total death toll of 15 on the road in a year will result in alarm bells ringing.We should also not forget those beggars who are mentally unstable and have either escaped or being discharged from mental institutions. The whole area of mental health needs urgent attention.

THE USE OF NEWS PAPER AFTER READING

By Aliu Kafayat

It has been a concern that over the years in Nigeria, what has been the end line of action for newspapers.

Newspaper which is one of the vital tools, in informing the society about what happen in and out of the country both local and international is a printed publication consisting of folded unstapped sheet and contain news, articles, advertisement and correspondence.

Variety of newspaper on a stand in Lagos

Newspaper carry a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sport, and art, and often include materials such as opinion columns, weather forecast, reviews of local series, obituaries, birth notices, crosswords, editorial cartoons, comic strips and advices columns.
Most newspapers are business, and they pay their expenses with a mixture of subscription revenue, newsstand sales and advertising revenue.

The use of newspaper is not limited to reading alone as some of the lower of newspaper keep it for other personal use after reading the newspaper.

Speaking with the individuals that offer the papers for after use, disclosed that keeping it is making the whole environment appear rough

"Once I get my newspapers and done reading the whole stories that interest me, instead of keeping them I gently hand it over to the women who fries stuff on my street"
Some noted that on giving the sellers those newspapers, they give in return whatever it is they're selling.
 LISTEN HERE

THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN

People listening to sermon 

The holiest month in the Islamic calendar sees Muslims undertake a 30-day fast which ends in mid-June.
Ramadan began last week with Muslims around the world embarking on a 30-day period of ritual fasting and abstinence.
The date on which Ramadan begins changes each year. It is determined by the first confirmed sighting of the new moo.
There is often controversy about when it starts, with different countries observing it on different days. In the UK, Ramadan this year began on 15 May and finishes on 14 June.
Fasting is the most well-known and important part of the month. Practicing Muslims are not allowed to eat between sunrise and sunset to help teach “self-discipline, self-restraint and generosity”.
It's common to have one meal, the suhoor, just before sunrise and another known as the iftar directly after sunset.
Non-Muslims, young children, the sick, people with mental health illnesses, travellers, the elderly and women who are menstruating, pregnant, breast-feeding or have recently given birth do not have to fast.
The government’s Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has a page for helping employers support Muslim employees during Ramadan, and warns that “fasting may affect people in different ways.
some people may understandably become a little irritable or slightly tired at times and some understanding from managers and colleagues can be helpful.
Eating at least two meals a day; the suhoor and ifta, packing them with complex carbohydrates such as wheat, oats, lentils and basmati rice that release energy slowly will enable one stay healthy during Ramadan.
Also, High-fat and high-sugar foods are not recommended and fasters should instead eat baked samosas, boiled dumplings, grilled meat and milk-based puddings.
Dr Lawal Abdul Qudus , a Lecturer at the MuslimAssoication of Nigeria says: “Ramadan isn't always thought of as being an opportunity to lose weight because the spiritual aspect is emphasised more generally than the health aspect. However, it's a great chance to get the physical benefits as well.”
Despite this, he adds, a balanced diet with the right proportion of carbs, fat and protein is needed to see any benefits.
Knowing the exact times of sunrise and sunset is important during Ramadan, but this can be complicated as this differs around the world and sometimes even in a country. Apps such as Muslim Pro tell when to begin fasting and what time followers can eat again.
Ikeja - Lagos Mosque has a prayer timetable to help Muslims keep up with the different times throughout the month of Ramadan.
LISTEN HERE
The Timetable also gives the exact sunrise and sunset times for any location around the world.
Ramadan marks the month when Allah revealed the Koran to the Prophet Muhammad.
Alhaja Al-Moruf Zainab, a practitioner of the Muslim society says: "Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam; a verse in the Koran prescribes it for all mature and healthy Muslims.
Muslims fast as an act of worship, a chance to get closer to Allah and a way to become more compassionate to those in need.
On the 27th day of Ramadan, Muslims mark Lailat al Qadr – the “Night of Power”. This is Islam’s holiest night and commemorates the day the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It involves spending the night praying, studying and reciting the holy text.
However, the exact day of Lailat al Qadr falls was never actually specified by the Prophet Muhammad(SAW) and some Muslims choose to commemorate all the last ten days of Ramadan as if they were Lailat al Qadr.
To mark the end of fasting, Muslims celebrate the Eid ul-Fitr festival , beginning with early morning prayers and then a day of feasting with friends and family.
Many Muslims wear their best clothes to celebrate eating their first daylight meal in a month and give thanks to Allah for giving them strength and self-control. They also exchange gifts and decorate their homes for the celebrations.
Ramadan is based on a lunar calendar, which is determined by the position of the moon in the sky. This means each year the fasting begins around 11 days earlier than the previous year.
Next year, it begins on 5 May, then it moves to April in 2020. By 2023, it will have hit March and by 2026, Ramadan will be in February.
The change means keeping Ramadan is slightly easier when the days are short, but summer months, when the days are long, make the fast more difficult – especially for those living in countries in the far north, where the sun can remain in the sky almost all day.
To counter this, some scholars suggest only using Mecca time to measure the fast, but the idea is controversial, leaving many believers fasting for up to 19 hours at a time.
As with many religious traditions, some of the Ramadan fasting practices differ depending on the specific school of thought and can be open to interpretation.
Ibrahim Sulaimon, an advanced student of Islamic teaching school, and a Hafidh of the Koran, suggests those who are worried about this can use “minimal toothpaste, something that is not very strong, not too minty” or alternatively using a miswak - a teeth-cleaning stick.
These exemptions do not extend to swallowing medication, which would invalidate the fast and should therefore be taken before dawn or after sunset.
However, Habeeb stresses anyone with a medical condition should first ask whether they should be fasting at all, adding “what's clear cut in the Koran is that you should always follow the advice of the doctor”.
In many Muslim countries, visitors are expected to abide by the restrictions of Ramadan, at least in public, meaning no eating, drinking, chewing gum or smoking during the day.
It also warns that in some countries "if you demonstrate culturally insensitive behaviour that offends, you could be arrested".
Loud music and dancing is considered disrespectful during Ramadan and some restaurants will close or amend their opening hours.
Travellers are advised to stock up on food in their hotel room, unless they want to rise early for a big pre-dawn breakfast and stay up late to break the fast.
In conclusion, due to facts, Muslims are also expected to give away 2.5% of their wealth during the 30-day festival as part of zakat.
Another common misconception is that swallowing saliva will break your fast. Hassan says this too, “has no basis at all”, although the exchange of bodily fluids with another person, including kissing, is not allowed.

NIJ: Pen pushers fc players turned up

 The pen pushers football team of the Nigerian institute of journalism,  Ogba, Ikeja have started intensified training ahead of their clash against Zion football Team, on Wednesday, 6th of June.

 The training session held today Wednesday 30th of May.

 The turnout of the team was massive during today's training, since it was the last match of the 2017/2018 academic session. Students from the national diploma (ND), higher national diploma (HND) and also from the most esteemed class of the school the post graduate diploma (PGD) all came out today which made the training one of a kind.

In an interview with the captain of pen pusher's football team Shina Omolola he said
LISTEN HERE

The pen pushers promised to keep up with their training in other to defeat Zion football team this time for good.