36th Qur’anic recitation competition: Borno, Zamfara emerged overall Winners, gets N3 million each

By Mohammed kaka Misau, Bauchi

As the 36th Edition of the National Qur’anic Recitation Competition ended in Bauchi state on Saturday, Baba Goni Mukhtar from Borno State and Haulatu Amina Ishaq from Zamfara State emerged the overall winners in the male and female categories.

The competition which had 328 participants across the country with Bauchi as the host state, saw the two overall winners going home with 3 million naira each.

Our Corresspondent gathered that, this was the third time Bauchi state is playing host to the competition at the national level.

Out of the total 328 number of participants,168 were malesand 160 were female.

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state while speaking at the closing ceremony, commended all the role played by faith-based organizations who promote the learning and recitation of the Qur’an.

He also thanked traditional leaders, the Center for Islamic Studies of the Usman Danfodio University Sokoto and Organizers of the competition for successfully carrying out the event in Bauchi state.

Bala said since the inception of the National Qur’anic Recitation Competition in 1985, Bauchi state is hosting the event for the third time, which he noted will be recorded as one of the achievements of his administration.

The Governor said that the annual National Qur’anic Recitation Competition should not only be seen as an opportunity to win prizes by the contestants.

He said in addition to memorizing and reciting the Qur’an, it is necessary to put into practice all the verses written in the Qur’an as instructed by Allah.

“You will agree with me that the world today is faced with numerous challenges ranging from material and moral corruption, intellectual bankruptcy, insecurity and other social abnormalities.This state of affairs is threatening the socio-economic and the various parts of the world as a planet that is worth living in”, the governor said.

Bala called on all God-fearing Muslims, especially the Ulamas to intensify prayers at all times and places, especially at gatherings.

“The banditry, insecurity is happening within our midst, we need to ask ourselves why, can we change it? Have we offended Allah? if so we should have some introspection so that we will be able to go for the expiation of our sins, for Allah to forgive us so that we will not be in this kind of mess we have found ourselves” he said

Governor Mohammed charged leaders at all levels to live by the fear of God and by example even as he called on parents and guardians to ensure proper upbringing of their children, stressing that the society requires serious moral orientation as most of the challenges bedeviling the nation is associated with the attitude of people.

Earlier speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto, his eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar called on Muslims in the state, particularly leaders to fear Allah and live peacefully, saying that they will account of their deeds hereafter.

He commended the Bauchi State government and Organizers of the competition for successfully hosting the event in the state, saying that the competition did not only produce winners, but fostered unity among Muslims and other religions in the state.