Winners emerged Thursday at Gaskiya TV Qur’an Competition 2022, the first private Qur’anic recitation competition which was held at the Central Mosque, Abuja.
Alhaji Hamza Tanko, a Ghanaian businessman and philanthropist who sponsored and organized the competition for the first time in Nigeria, said his passion for the Qur’an inspired him to organize an annual recitation competition in his country, Ghana which was started last year.
Mubarak Aliyu, 20, from Gombe State emerged winner for the complete Qur’an recitation competition and got $5,000 cash as well as a slot to participate in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
He said, “I am very elated to be the overall winner of this Qur’anic recitation competition. I can’t even express my happiness. And I appeal to my competitors to remain steadfast and prayerful until they accomplish their heights; they could even outdo what I achieved.”
In the same vein, Aisha Abubakar Hassan, 16, from Kano State emerged winner in the 30 Hizb category competed by females. She was equally awarded with $5,000 and a Hajj seat.
The second and third runner up went home with $4,000 and $3,000 with Hajj slots respectively; whilst the fourth and fifth were awarded with $2,000 & $1,000 in turn.
According to the West African Coordinator of the competition, Abdulshakur Abbas, the five winners will represent Nigeria in the same competition organized for six West African countries scheduled to hold next month in Ghana.
Many prominent northern emirs including the Sultan of Sokoto represented by Wazirin Sokoto graced the occasion.
