Vice President Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo has implored the Muslim Ummah, to seek for knowledge and academic excellence as enshrined in the Holy Qur’an.
The Vice President made this call on Friday at the opening ceremony, of the 28th edition of the National Qur’anic Recitation Competition, holding in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital.
To this end Arc Sambo, enjoined those in authority to provide the enabling environment for knowledge to thrive, saying “It is therefore appropriate for us as the representatives of the people to create the enabling environment for knowledge and academic excellence.”
Accordingly, he said “Our administration strongly underscores the need for the eradication of illiteracy and the promotion of education in all its ramifications.”
Vice President Sambo therefore, reeled out the efforts the Federal Government was making at tackling illiteracy in the society, which included, the commissioning of over 100 Alamjiri schools, provision of over 96,326,675 basic education books, among several others.
Vice President Sambo used the opportunity to stress the need for the Muslim Ummah, to imbibe the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and peacefully coexists with people of other faiths.
He also called on Islamic clerics “to place the unity, peace and security of this nation as an important element in their daily preaching.”
While commending the Jigawa State Government for hosting the event and the organizers for sustaining the competition, by encouraging the proper pronunciation, memorization and recitation of the Glorious Qur’an, called on the participant and other young Muslims to keep to the event’s objectives.
Vice President Sambo also commended the Nigerian delegation to the 35th edition of the International Qur’anic Contest, in Saudi Arabia in 2013, where they won laurels for the country.
“Government will continue to support such initiatives aimed at discovering talents that will make the country proud and be a sense of pride to their family, their immediate society and the nation,” he said.
Vice President Sambo, who had earlier on arrival inspected the Jigawa State airport project, lauded the people oriented projects of Governor Sule Lamido.
Earlier the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, stated that the zeal of the government and the people to promote education, regarding the science of the Holy Qur’an informed their hosting the event for the second time in three years.
The chairman of the event and the Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola, who spoke on Qur’an as an ultimate companion and guide, said the Holy Book provides for unity and peaceful coexistence and is the bedrock of Islam.
The Vice Chancellor of the Usman Danfodio University Sokoto, Prof. Riskuwa Arabu Shehu and the organizing institution, lauded Federal Government’s support and appealed for the recognition of the young talents that made Nigeria proud in Saudi Arabia.
He said that 29 States and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja are participating in the one week event.
The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, gave the goodwill message on behalf of the Sultan of Sokoto, while, Sheikh Adam Abdallah Idoko, Chief Imam of the University of Nigeria, Nsuka, was the guest speaker, and he spoke on the importance of the Holy Qur’an in the life of the Muslim.
