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HomeControversySPECIAL REPORT; LAGOS PLAN TO CRIMINALIZE BEGGING AND ALMS GIVING WON'T WORK

SPECIAL REPORT; LAGOS PLAN TO CRIMINALIZE BEGGING AND ALMS GIVING WON’T WORK

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SPECIAL REPORT; LAGOS TO CRIMINALISE BEGGING AND ALMS GIVING WONT WORK.

Of all laws to pass that borders on the welfare of Lagosians, The Lagos State House of Assembly wants to pass a law that criminalizes begging and alms giving. It makes me laugh and laugh. IT WILL NOT WORK.

Where are these guys from? Are they not yorubas? Did they not grow up with their parents or in communities? Who is planting this funny idea in their head?

I have lived a greater part of my life in Lagos and yoruba land so I know that alms giving is path of the culture.

It is embedded in the fabric of societal norms of the people to give alms. Long before Pentecostal people started talking about giving, the yoruba race has been practising it.

The yoruba call alms giving Sara. It can come in the form of money or food or clothes or any item. It is embedded also in their religious practices. Yorubas believe in Sara like they believe that the sun must shine tomorrow. You can not separate them from alms giving. Trust me. I know that for a fact. Their pastors and alfas also encourage almsgiving .

The child of a yoruba is going to school far away, alms will be given while the parents pray for safe passage.

A society woman or man plans a big party, in the morning of the party, she will cook, pack in a cooler and take it to where beggars are plenty. The more beggars the better. She will painstakingly share food and drinks and even cash to the beggars. The belief is that the prayers of the beggars also help their prayers to receive fast answers from the Almighty. Secondly they also believe giving of alms wards of evil forces. It’s a complex thing. But that’s what it is.

Before most big society weddings in lagos, food has been cooked and sent to beggars.

People in Lagos doing big business cannot do without giving alms. It’s part of their daily and weekly expenditure. Sometimes they do it in bulk on Mondays, Fridays or Sundays. Market women in lagos would rather not eat but give alms. They know and believe it helps them make sales. Some small boys they will say cannot change it. No way.

It did not start today. Modern religion has not been able to kill that practice. Christians, moslems and traditional worshippers are all partakers. It also makes people feel good that they are helping others.

During moslem fasts, they feed beggars for the full thirty days. When they round up their fast, they also buy beggars clothes. It is part of the culture. It is part of Thanksgiving. The StoryTeller knows this for a fact.
No body can stop it.

Even big time politicians feed the poor every Friday. They also give them money. Sometimes they invite them home, cook for them and share money and gifts. Their is always a special budget. The aide who forgets to remind oga is in trouble. Beggars have their usefulness in lagos. Alms giving is one of the ways the rich touch base with humanity. Do you know senators in Abuja send money home every Friday to be distributed to beggars? Kings and obas and their chiefs can not do without giving alms to beggars. It is widespread.

Even Nigerians abroad do same, they specifically send money home for that purpose. Yes sir. They all do. It is for spiritual reasons. Lagos is a spiritual state. Deeply spiritual. Forget all the glamour and bright lights. That’s all on the surface.

In these days where people are afraid to give their clothes to family members because of where they might take it to for evil, they carry their old clothes in big bags to beggars as alms and receive prayers. The beggars are offering a vital service in lagos state. The Storyteller knows.

Begging is also big business in Lagos. There are people who control where beggars converge. In lagos people give alms with specific instructions. Sometimes it’s to be given to old men, women, mothers or children, cripple or the blind. Alms giving is specific. It is these men that will arrange for the kind of people you need. And they get something too and everybody is happy.

You will find beggars in large numbers in Oyingbo, Ojo, Mushin, Agege, and Yaba. You won’t know where they are until you ask questions. The StoryTeller knows where they are. its part of my job.

I also know in certain parts of lagos like Lekki, there has been an influx of underage beggars in recent years. They station themselves by the traffic lights and side streets.They harrass and insult motorists and that is really ugly. They must be taken off the streets. They are an eye-sore.

Lagos State I know built a shelter for Beggars at Ebute Metta where people can do their alms giving in peace.

Perhaps Lagos State needs to build more of such shelters at Agege, Ojo and Mushin so that Lagosions don’t have to travel far to give alms.

To criminalize alms giving totally in Lagos State won’t work. Even the parents of the law makers will revolt.

By; Al Humphrey Onyanabo ( The StoryTeller)
Tel; +2347054674906

Al Humphrey
Al Humphreyhttps://nigeria360.com.ng/
Mr Al Humphrey Onyanabo, better known as the StoryTeller has been a society watcher and reporter for about 30 years. He has written two books, Precious Little Thoughts to Lift the Day and The Art of Friendship. His ultimate is to start telling and selling the Nigerian story to a worldwide audience on film. He is passionate about Nigeria and believes we can be the Great NATION that we are if all of us play our roles, and hold the people we put in charge ACCOUNTABLE. He is a father and grandfather.
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1 COMMENT

  1. Passing a law against begging is one thing, (which I think is needed in any city) but to criminalise it, in the same city where policing real-time hard core criminals is a challenge to law enforcers is an effort in futility.

    In the UK where BEGGING and GIVING to “BEGGARS” is outlawed, it is hardly enforced. Police goes after a few that are notorious and professional beggars.
    “It is in the blood of Nigerians to give” was the conclusion of Scotland Yard, some years ago, when they were going to enforce the law against giving to rough sleepers.

    They should use the money to prosecute welfare program for the beggars.

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