War Against Begging: The English Translation of the Hausa Poem Yaƙi Da Bara

Yaƙi Da Bara (War Against Begging), authored by Dr. Abu-Ubaida Sani, is a Hausa poem of social commentary that examines the causes, consequences, and changing forms of begging within Hausa society. The poem argues that begging, once associated primarily with genuine hardship and survival, has in some cases developed into a widespread social practice involving poverty, disability, displacement, orphanhood, family breakdown, harmful cultural beliefs, idleness, inadequate child welfare, and other socio-economic challenges. It also criticizes deceptive and exploitative forms of begging, including fraudulent appeals, organized solicitation, the exploitation of children, and the use of modern communication platforms to solicit money. The poet draws on Islamic teachings and Hadith to argue that able-bodied individuals should seek lawful means of earning rather than depend unnecessarily on begging, while emphasizing that genuine people in need should continue to receive assistance. Importantly, the poem is presented as an internal call for reform rather than an attack on the Hausa people or their culture. It cautions readers against generalizing from the actions of a small portion of society and recognizes the broader Hausa tradition of enterprise, resilience, commerce, agriculture, craftsmanship, scholarship, and professional achievement. The poem ultimately calls for a collective response involving government, religious scholars, parents, the media, communities, and individuals. Proposed solutions include creating employment opportunities, providing skills training, addressing poverty and ignorance, improving child welfare and education, ensuring fair distribution of Zakat, supporting genuine refugees and vulnerable people, strengthening agriculture and security, challenging harmful superstitions, and carefully enforcing laws against exploitative begging. Overall, Yaƙi Da Bara is a plea to restore dignity, protect vulnerable people, discourage fraud and dependency, and address the underlying conditions that allow begging to persist.