Social critic and skitmaker Dr. Bello Galadanchi has expressed deep concern over the growing levels of deprivation, begging, and poverty in Northern Nigeria.
Speaking on News Central’s Breakfast Central on Thursday, March 20, Galadanchi highlighted the urgency of addressing the crisis, emphasising the role of digital education in holding the government accountable.
“You know, it’s not just the governors. Sometimes, yeah, we really need to hold them accountable. But yesterday, my father sent me some videos, which I’m working on right now,” he said.
Describing the alarming situation outside mosques after Friday prayers, he recounted, “Friday mosque all over northern Nigeria. In Kano, right now, I’m collecting videos, different Friday mosque. After the prayers, when you come out, do you know what you see? Hundreds of out-of-school children, very dirty.”
According to Galadanchi, the sight of children begging in groups while people walk past them without concern has become normalised. “And what is heartbreaking is the people walking right past them. It’s very casual. People just, you know, wealthy people, able-bodied people, all kinds of people just walking past it like it’s nothing. And that’s what it has turned to, nothing. It’s nothing.”
He lamented the lost potential among these children, stating, “It’s not just embarrassing, it’s disturbing to imagine the engineers that we can get from those kids, the doctors, the architects, the leaders, because there are so many brains there, and each brain has a gift.”
Galadanchi stressed that addressing the crisis is not solely the government’s responsibility but also that of society. “It’s not just the government, but us, the people also, we see that, and we just don’t say much. We don’t do much. We’re just like, all right, this is part of our reality now. We just have to live with it while it’s a living time bomb.”
He revealed that he is working on a video to shed light on the issue, saying, “Yesterday, I was discussing this with my father, and it was just kind of heartbreaking to watch. I’m working on the video, and I’m going to release it very soon, hopefully, in the next few days.”
