Ogun, Lagos contingents to 2024 Qur’anic Recitation Competition return
*After visiting special sites in Sokoto *Kano, Gombe to represent Nigeria in Saudi Arabia 2025
By KEMI KASUMU
Contingents representing Ogun and Lagos states at the just concluded National Qur’anic Recitation Competition (NQRC) 2024 returned via Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, Monday night.
Secretary General of the Ogun State Muslim Council (OMC) and former National President of National Council of Muslim Youth (NACOMYO), Asiwaju Kamaldeen Akintunde Esq, announced this via a short exclusive electronic message in the early hours of Tuesday December 31, 2024.
Akintunde said, “Announcing the arrival of Ogun and Lagos States’ contingents from the 39th National Quranic Recitation Competition in Kebbi State at Muritala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos, as their United Nigeria flight touched ground at 2009 hrs/8.09 pm on Monday.
“The flight from Sakwatto (Sokoto) originally scheduled for 1630hrs/4.30 pm was shifted to 1800hrs/6.00 pm. Alhamdulillah Robil Al-Amin!” he said in the message sent at exactly 12:30am on Tuesday.
Alhaji Mustapha Balogun, former National Vice President of NACOMYO, led Lagos contingent for this year to the competition.
Both Ogun and Lagos contingents, numbering 20, on the sidelines of the august even in Birnin Kebbi, capital of Kebbi State, had stopover in Sokoto where they were hosted courtesy of the Sultanate Council, Sokoto, facilitated by Chairman of the Sokoto State Agency for Zakat and Endowment, and Secretary General of the World Forum for Zakat and Waqf, Mallam Muhammad Lawal Maidoki, Sadaukin Sokoto.
The group, during the stopover leading to their passing a night in the Seat of Caliphate between Sunday and Monday, seized the rare opportunity to visit very special sites in the Usmaniyyah City including the Sultan’s Palace, Waziri Jinadu History and Culture Bureau, UK Jarma Academy (for orphanage students), Mosalaci Juma’ah Muhammadu Maccido (Muhammadu Maccido Central Mosque) and the office of the Lawal Maidoki-led Sokoto State Agency for Zakat and Endowment.
After the very beautiful experience they had in Sokoto, the contingents, who would not forget in a hurry what they saw during the visits, then proceeded to the Sultan Abubakar International Airport, Sokoto where they boarded the United Nigeria aircraft that finally airlifted them to Muritala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja, Lagos, Monday night.
The DEFENDER reports that Kano State’s Buhari Sanusi Idris and Gombe State’s Rumaisa’u Dahir Ibrahim emerged overall winners in the male and female categories, respectively, of the 2024 National Qur’anic Recitation Competition in Nigeria, returned home with new cars with full honours among others.
The two will represent Nigeria at the International Qur’anic Recitation Competition holding in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2025.
