Paul Orude, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government has released the sum of N20 million for the 33rd Qur’anic Recitation Competition.
The Qur’anic Recitation Competition is a one-week annual event introduced inner 2015 by the state to groom talents for both national and international competitions.
Chairman of the Competition Committee, Dr. Zubairu Madaki, said that the amount was for the purchase of prizes for the winners.
He that 240 people are participating in the competition, drawn from the 20 Local government areas of the state with each having 12 participants.
He said there are 60 prizes in all winch would be presented to winners at the closing ceremony.
Madaki explained that there are four brand new vehicles, four new tricycles, 24 new boxer motorcycles, 14 bicycles and 14 sets of Shadda material valued at N210, 000
He said the each of the male winners will be given bicycle and N15, 000 worth Shadda material while the female winners will be given sewing machines adding that there will also be consolation prizes totalling 240.
“These prizes are not meant to pay the competitors because you cannot pay the Qur’an. They are meant to encourage them to be more diligent.” he stated.
He said that the winners were at liberty to sell the prizes and solve other problems they may have.
Madaki also said that the first positions in the last three competitions in the state represented the country at the international levels.
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He said that since the committee was inaugurated by the Governor about four years ago, “in the first year, a Bauchi indigene came first at the National Competition in Lafia, Nassarawa State, another Bauchi indigene came first at Ilorin, Kwara state while last year another indigene came first Katsina.”
He said that the winners represented Nigeria at international competitions in Kuwait, Algeria, Saudi Arabia among others and won prizes worth millions of Naira.
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Madaki appealed to the state government to increase the amount spent on the prizes to encourage more people to participate.
Declaring the competition open, the Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubabakar said that the government was committed to sustaining the annual competition in the state.
Represented by the Commissioner of Education, Professor Haruna Dan Wanka, Abubakar said the government was making efforts to reform Tsangaya and Islamic Schools across the state.
“I call on wealthy individuals in the state to join hands with the state government in promoting the Competition,” he said.