Diary of an Almajiri Lyrics

(Dew drop)

Ojúmọ́ timọ́ (it's dawn...)

Ọmọ kékeré kàn ní mo jí rí

(My first sight was of that of child)

Another kid in rags, he is an Almajiri

With no shoes, clothes torn and ragged

Another sordid reminder that the world is dark and rugged!

Nobody bats an eye

No one cares or bothers

His parents are likely several kilometers away

In a hurt, unhurt and unbothered

His unborn brothers will likely suffer the same fate

Become another victim of a failed state

Sit around for hours reading on a slate

On a hungry stomach with no food on his plate

(HABA!)

It's another morning its 10a.m in Karkasara

I had 10naira in my pocket

Ṣé kí n fí ṣé sárà? (do I give it as alms?)

Or will I need it later as change?

If I gave it to him, will it really make a change?

Wallahi, some of this kids don't know the meaning of what is written in their Al'lau

This is the kinda thing we choose to allow

And by Allah! This is the truth! (Ba Kariya...)

Some of this kids walk around with fractures (karaya)

They don't even have a hope of a career

So I log on twitter, there's another drama going on about a girl who refused to kneel on her wedding

Its really none of my concern who she is going to end up bedding

Fortunately, the next tweet is by Gimba Kakanda about the need to stop this nonsense and have a conscience

To help and not mock these poor souls walking around in smelly clothes

I looked up, and I saw an empty bottle of coke

I couldn't help but wonder if his parents are hooked on coke

But I know they ain't gat the dough

They are likely a product of illiteracy from a bunch of folks who refused to stay woke!

But I still couldn't help but wonder though

We he taste luck and make meagre dough?

Or will he make it in life and make mega dough?

Or will he become another ustaz or a hooligan?

Or will he end up being defiled by a pedophile and need to turn his life around and be holy again?

Or will he remain another almajiri dude who never made it through

Who never went to school and stayed a fool

We need to fix up their lives if we really wanna make it through...

(For Real Though!)

Do I speak some words or should I rap?

Its sad, but sometimes I need to tell myself, relax...

The boy I saw had a sack with a bunch of crap

I can't begin to imagine all the things he lacks

Love, food, clothes and a good bed...

Forsaken by those who should be there for him

(DAMN!)

For him, this world is where you read and pray

Beg for a few bucks to eat and stay alive to the next day

Unknown to him, that he is living a lie of a life

Unknown to him that he is living the life of a black slave with no end date to his suffering

When he is not even sovereign to make choices that will end his own suffering

O Ma Ṣe Oo.. (what a pity!)

Nobody cares about his breath and health

Malnourished with unhealed wounds from eating stale food

We pride ourselves in giving them food

Thinking that we are really doing some good

(REALLY?)

Its really hard for me to go further

In truth, no one really bothers

Forsaken by his father and mother

Shouldn't acts like this be considered as murder!?

The kid I saw this morning caught my attention among the litter

I felt I should write his parents a letter

But they are likely ignorant and unfettered

As Nigerians, we really need to do better

(Gaskiya..)

So I ask myself

Do I blame his parents or the system?

Or a system that doesn't assist them?

Or was it that when good fortune was being shared it didn't consist them?

So many thoughts in my head, it's really had to stay consistent

Okay guys this is Elraj, with the Diary of an Almajiri...