Abba Goni-Mukhtar from Borno and Haulatu Aminu from Zamfara have emerged the overall winners of the just concluded 36th National Quranic Recitation competition.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the contestants won the competition in the 60 Chapters recitation of the Holy Qur’an for the male and female categories, respectively.
The one-week competition, organised by the Musabaqah Foundation for Qur’anic Recitation in Nigeria and Centre for Islamic Studies, Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto in collaboration with Bauchi State Government, ended on Saturday in Bauchi.
About 328 participants drawn from the 36 states the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) featured in six categories of the competition.
The categories comprised memorisation of the 60 chapters of the Qur’an with science, arts and commentary (Tajweed and Tafsir), as well as memorisation of the whole Quran with (Tajweed) and memorisation of 40 chapters of the Holy scripture.
Others were memorisation of 20 chapters of the Qur’an with Tajweed (theoretical and practical); memorisation of 10 chapters of the Qur’an and memorisation of the first two chapters of the Quran with Tajweed practical.
The two overall winners were presented with a cheque of N3 million each by Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, for their excellence performances during the competition.
NAN also reports that Musa Ahmed and Fatima Tijjani from Borno State smiled home with N2 million each for their excellence performances in the recitation of the 60 chapters of the Holy book with the translation of the textual verses of the scripture.
Mohammed awarded scholarship to a 13-year-old Summayya Bauchi, who represented Bauchi State in the competition, for her ability to recite the verses of the Qur’an correctly, fluently and with coherence.
The governor also donated N25 million to the participants, winners and the panel of judges for their untiring efforts which facilitated successful conduct of the competition.
Also speaking, Prof. Lawal Bilbis, Vice-Chancellor, Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto and Chairman of the Musabaqah Foundation for Qur’anic Recitation competition urged the participants to make good use of the experienced acquired during the competition.
He said the participants comprised 168 males and 160 females, adding that they were selected on merit across the 36 states and FCT.
He commended the Bauchi State Government for hosting the competition, saying that, “we remain grateful to the cooperation and understanding of the good people of the state which make the event a success.”
NAN reports that the event was attended by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, Emirs of Bauchi, Katagum, Dass, Jama’are, Misau and Ningi as well as Islamic clerics.
