Tinubu to chair closing of national Qur’an recitation competition in Lagos tomorrow

THE grand finale of the 34th national Qur’an recitation competition, otherwise known as ‘Lagos for Qur’an (1441) 2020’, will come to an end tomorrow at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

A former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, will chair the ceremony which will draw the curtain on the competition which was declared open last Friday.

According to an online newspaper, Muslim News, Tinubu recently affirmed his endorsement of the competition while receiving local organising committee led by its chairman, Chief Abdul Fatah Olukoga.

Each of the overall winners of the competition in the male and female categories, it was learnt, will receive a Nissan Primera, just as there will be lots of consolation prizes for runners-up.

The competition, which started in 1986, was an initiative of the Centre for Islamic Studies, Usmanu Dan Fodio University, Sokoto.

A six-year-old boy, Abdullahi Sa’id Okanlolohun, is said to be the youngest participant at the competition.

A social media user, Sulaimon Robiu, in a post on his Facebook page on Thursday, said: “Sa’id from Igbeti, Oyo State, has memorised the entire Qur’an. He is representing his state in Category 3 (40 hizb/20 juz’u).”

The coordinator of the Oyo State team at the competition, Alhaji AbdulGaniyy AbdusSalaam, confirmed Robiu claim to the online newspaper.