Nigerian filmmaker debuts an “al-majiri” inspired documentary

A Nigerian filmmaker, Adeyeye Olatokunbo has released a documentary centering on the stories of underage children in the Almajiri system.


The ‘Almajiri’ is a system of Islamic education practiced in northern Nigeria. It is popularly associated with minors begging on the streets in many northern Nigerian states. Almajiri is culled from the Arabic word “Muhajirun” which means someone who leaves his home in search of Islamic knowledge.


In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, Olatokunbo said that he was moved to make the documentary because he was uncomfortable with the state of the children.


The documentary, ‘Born Unlucky: The Almajiri System’ follows the story of a real-life Almajiri child who opens up about his life and the conditions he lives in. It also featured Islamic scholars and a mallam explaining the religious undertone of the system.


Olatokunbo, a graduate of the University of Lagos, mentioned that the idea to make the film came during his youth service year in Kano. He said, “When I got my call up letter, I found out I was posted to Kano. Like every southerner, I was concerned with security. The belief that the North is insecure is of course fueled by reports from the media. Contrary to this belief, the North is peaceful. It was really easy to notice some children, looking unkempt and unfed litter the street. Anyone who has visited the north could attest to this fact. They call them Almajiri. Almajiri is from an Arabic word, “al-Muhajirun”, meaning a person who leaves his home in search of Islamic knowledge, most times under a Mallam. At first, I ignored them. After a few months in Kano state, I became uncomfortable with the system. Almost everywhere I go, has these children. I began to ask questions,” he added.


According to Olatokunbo, it was important to tell these stories as they will help draw global attention and provide lasting solutions to the issues.


He said, “These stories need to be told. The world needs to hear them. My team and I were faced with numerous challenges while filming this documentary but this was our motivation.”