Jaafar Jaafar
21 October 2007
Malam Umaru, a deaf and dumb borehole attendant manages his life, time, job and family excellently. Despite his meagre income and the demeaning nature of his business, Umaru, whose children go to private schools, vows to send them abroad for their higher studies the sooner he owns a borehole. When Sunday Trust requested for an interview and a couple of shots, he obliged, though reluctantly. Jaafar Jaafar reports
The 41-year-old speech impaired borehole attendant, Malam Umaru has said that his disability is not lack of ability, but ability to look at the world in different perspective, so as to be able to do what many able-bodied men cannot do.
Umaru, many people said, should be a role-model for girl-child education in Northern Nigeria, particularly Hausa society. Although Umaru is not the owner of the borehole, he hardly fails to pay his female children's school fees on time.
He has been in the business ever since the introduction of boreholes after the existing wells in kawaji area of Kano began to dry. When he started the business, he did not own a house. He is now a proud owner of a house, two wives and four children. His aging mother also lives with him.
Umaru is also a very serious-minded person who takes his job rather seriously as his religion. Before he ventured into this business, Umaru had ran errands for a rich man who trusted Umaru well. Given this confidence his master reposed in him, he opened the borehole for him to be in charge.
Umaru's first daughter, Hajara is now in junior secondary school. He explained to our reporter that he pays N15,000 every term for her school fees and N3,000 monthly to settle achaba operator that takes her to school in the morning and brings her back when school closes in the afternoon.
His other two children, Amina and Fatima are nine and seven respectively. They also go to a private school called All Bright International School. He said that he pays N7,000 per term for each of the two children.
According to him, his four female children will, by God's grace, be flown abroad (where he has never been) for their advanced studies. He made this known through sign language.
When asked whether his children are taunted or bullied in school, he wrote (in Hausa): "Yes they were once subjects of scorn and derision, and were taunted by the pupils severely. But when they realised that my children are the brightest in the class, the pupils stopped." He said he is happy that his children write and speak English.
When Sunday Trust met him briefly at home soon before filing this report, his second daughter Amina, who speaks good English, was the interlocutor. She described their father as caring breadwinner who loves his family very much. "Daddy buys us sweet everyday," the younger one, Fatima chipped in with boyish lisp. She explained that their father bought them fine Sallah costumes.
Umaru boasted that his children go to the same schools the rich in the neighborhood send their children to, and as well wear the same kind of dress rich men's children wear.
Umaru explained his logic of investing in his family. "If I give luxury to myself now and refuse to give my children sound education, who will help me when I become old?" he asked rhetorically. Yes, he admitted, he wants to drive or to be driven in his own car but that his bicycle is ok for him now. He wrote in Hausa. "If I give them good education, they will have good jobs. Then they will one day buy me a car," he doodled in amateurish penmanship.
Findings show that most of the pupils of All Bright Primary School are brought to school in private cars and motorcycles. But for Umaru, the story is different, for he dutifully takes them to school every morning on his bicycle's carrier.
Umaru's customers who daily patronise his pump have expressed satisfaction about the way he handles them even though they are immigrants from Niger. They find him an easy-going fellow who often comes to their assistance in time of need.
"Kurma (deaf mute) is very good person who does not treat us with levity," a middle age mai ruwa said.
Sunday Trust learned that every cart, consisting 12-25-litre jerry cans, is filled for N40 and in every five minutes, two or more carts leave.
Umaru told our reporter that the daily takings of his business range from N4,000 to N6,000 per day depending on the season. During the rainy season, he explained, the patronage dims. Most residents of the area, he stated, harvest the rain for their daily use. But during the dry season, he said water-selling business booms.
Umaru lamented that all his suffering was due to his parents' inability to send him to school, let alone private one where children perform better. He added that he acquired his adult literacy at a ripe age, against the wishes of his parents who only wanted him to be an artisan. "If I did not defy them, I would not have been enlightened enough to send my children to private schools," he said.
When asked why he did not send his children to public schools despite its affordability, Umaru told our reporter that he pities those that cannot send their children to private schools. He added that he has closely observed that many public school students hardly go beyond secondary schools. They mainly engage in crimes or menial jobs.
Notwithstanding problems he faces due to the proliferation of water-selling points in the area, Umaru vowed he will never resort to begging.
Umaru was optimistic that by the time he owns his borehole, he will send his children abroad for studies. He added that his dream of giving his children good education will, by God's grace, become reality.
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