Thirty six years since the national Qur’anic recitation competition (dawrah) began in the country, the first Sokoto indigene to clinch a first place was on Sunday co-opted into the Sultanate scheme of things by Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.
The competition started in 1986.
The Sultan, who was visibly elated by the accomplishment of Nura Bello Abdullahi, a graduate of Computer Studies, pronounced the conferment of the title of Modibbon Sokoto (Preceptor of Sokoto), the first of its kind in the history of the Caliphate, on him “as a gesture of the Caliphate demonstrating our willingness to work with you.”
In the same stride, Abdullahi’s conferment by the Sultan was complimented by Sokoto state Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who not only gave him a job in the state civil service as a public servant, but also gave him N10 million, a graduate scholarship covering Masters and Ph.D studies and four Hajj seats.
Abdullahi emerged the 37th overall winner of the annual Qur’anic recitation competition, held last year in Gusau, Zamfara state.
Kano state has, on different occasions, won the coveted title 12 times, at one time, during its second edition in 1987, producing late Sheikh Jafar Mahmoud Adam (1960-2007), who rose to became a prominent Salafi scholar, before his dawn prayer assassination at a mosque in Kano.
Kano state is distantly followed in the list of winners by Plateau state which has produced six winners; while Bauchi and Zamfara tally at three winners each; followed by Borno and Kaduna with two winners each.
Kebbi, Adamawa, Kwara, Kogi, Katsina, Gombe and Yobe respectively, won the competition once over the year. It was not held in 1997; and, was merged in 1998/1999, 2003/2004, 2007/2008 and 2021/2022; holding for the second time in 2022.
According to the Sultan, “this feat by a young man whose lean stature belies his superlative achievement, deserves to be recognized l. This is why we have decided to bring him into the orbit of the Sultanate Council so that his talents would be harnessed in its service, Nigeria and the whole of humanity.”
The Sultan used the occasion to congratulate other winners of Sokoto origin who won the competition both at the state and the national level last year.
While turbaning Abdullahi at the modest occasion held in the competitors honor at the International Conference Center, Kasarawa in Sokoto, the Sultan also donated N500,000 naira each to the overall winners of the male and female category.
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By Muhammad Bello
