A one-time ministerial nominee under the President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Maryam Shetty and Mariya Sanusi Bayero, Kano Princess and mother of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, have closed a Quranic Recitation Competition in Kano with a prayer for peace across the nation.
The competition, the first of its kind, was conducted on Shetty’s Facebook Platform, where thousands of competitors posted videos of themselves reciting the Quran, after which a screening committee made up of experts from the National Quranic Recitation Competition Committee screened the participants and came up with the winners.
Speaking on why she organised the competition, the former ministerial nominee explained that it is an effort to transform the social media platforms into places of faith, beauty and reflection instead of spaces of frivolity.
“We live in an age where digital platforms often amplify noise, discord and distractions. But rather than abandon these spaces, I asked myself, why not reclaim them? Why not transform TikTok and Instagram from playgrounds of frivolities into platforms of faith, beauty and reflection?
“#ReciteWithShetty became that answer. It was never just about competition; it was about rekindling love for the Qur’an, giving our youths a noble purpose in their online engagements and reminding them that their voices can be instruments of light in a digital world often clouded with shadows.
“What began as a modest initiative has grown into a movement that has captured the imagination of our youth across Northern Nigeria and beyond. The melodious recitations, heartfelt reflections and contagious zeal displayed by participants quickly spread like wildfire,” she stated.
She expressed gratitude to religious leaders, former heads of state and traditional rulers who recognised it as a beacon of moral reawakening as well as affirming cultural heritage and spiritual legacy.
Speaking on the competition, the mother of the richest African, Hajiya Mariya Sanusi, hailed the efforts of Shetty and called on youths to use their opportunities and learn, while praying for peace in the country.
The overall winner of the competition, Nuraddeen Mu’azu from Abuja, who won with 97.6 points, took home a whopping N1 million.
Muhammad Khalid Idris from Bauchi, who came second with 97.4 points, got N500,000 while Aisha Tahir Idris from Jigawa came third with 97 points, winning N250,000.
Shetty also said that she and her team are already embarking on strategies to expand the initiative, which has been accepted, and make it a lifetime project that will uplift humanity above the minimum benchmark for an ideal person and a good life.
