International literacy day: 'My biggest regret na say I no fit read or write my name'

72-year-old Mallam Abdullahi Ahmed wey dey Kano, northwest Nigeria tell BBC say, im biggest regret for life be say, e no dey fit write or read anything including im name.

Abdullahi yan say about 60 years ago wen teachers dey enta houses for dia village Tudun Wada dey beg parents to put dia children for school, none of di parents for di village gree, dem say dem wan change religion of dia children.

"Na something wey dey pain me everyday because I no fit read or write anything, if I see my name for paper, I no go fit read am."

"At that time we or our parents no know di value of literacy and education, so we tink say na new religion di pipo carry come but looking back now, we dey vex because our younger brodas wey enter school years later dey enjoy now while someone like me dey beg from house to house."

Sunday na UN international literacy day, day wey United Nations set aside to celebrate sabiness to read and write and also for pipo to make efforts to end illiteracy wey pipo like Mallam Abdullahi dey face.

Mallam Abdullahi wey get one wife, 10 children and 32 grand children say e bin dey do small business before di tin crumble.

"Even di business wey I start before, I believe say if to say I get education, I for sabi manage am well, so na regrets all round.

Mallam Abdullahi say some of im children finish government secondary schools before dem enta business as money no dey for dem to continue.

Di Kano man also tok say e be one of di few pipo wey never own GSM handset since 2001 when telecom companies enter Nigeria.

Nigeria get 59.6% literacy level and na northwest wia Mallam Abdullahi come from get lowest of 25.8%, while fellow Africans Zimbabwe get 90% and na former president Robert Mugabe wey just die pipo dey give credit for di high number.