When a Nigerian thinks of beggars the first image that comes to the mind of a typical Nigerian is that of numerous Hausa/Fulani children popularly called ‘Alamajiri’; dressed in rags holding plastic dish and shunting about the street begging for daily meal; or the image of the many physically challenged individuals begging for alms at different corners and junctions of Nigeria major roads.
Every residents of the great city of Lagos must have noticed the swarm of beggars that flock the city every day; but unlike their northern counterpart, these ones are more creative and sophisticated, they are never dressed in rags nor walk about with dishes neither do they beg for food (money is more important to them) and most time they look better and healthier than the people the beg alms from.
You will notice they come in different forms; preying on your humanity and generosity with heart melting stories that will coerce your hand into your pocket and give them the little you have. Though a few of their stories are authentic but most are professional con artist.
If you reside in Lagos, there is every chance that you will encounter one the following classes of beggars in the city; from the young lad who enters the bus without a fare only to start soliciting for fare from the passenger seated next to him. To the nursing mother who hangs around at the bus stops to beg strangers to take pity on her and will politely asks you to help her with money for her baby’s meal or transport fare. Then you will come across the lad who will plead that you to lap him on the Keke (tricycle) so both of you can share your own fare. Or the tout with booze oozing out of every pore in his body that staggeringly walks to your table and plead for a bottle of beer after praising you like a God.
Then there are the professional con-artists, who move from one section of the city to another selling the same sad story to people’s conscience and milking them of their hard earned money. I came across one at Ajao estate on my way to carry out an assignment and he accosted me on the way with the sad story of dying of hunger and I was touched; as to what will make an able youth to beg a stranger for food, so I gave him the little I had and oh! how grateful was he, but I was shocked when later in the day the same man accosted me again at Ikoyi with the same story, unfortunately he had failed to recollect my face, maybe due to the countless number of people he must have accosted on his mission.
These set of beggars that made the hearts of many Lagosians hardened and unsympathetic to the plight of real destitute in the streets as it is very difficult to differentiate a con- artist from stranded stranger who genuinely needs help.
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