First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Honours Gombe-Based Qur’anic Champion With N20m

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has honoured 19-year-old Gombe Qur’anic scholar, Maryam Ibrahim Dan’azumi, with N20 million for emerging as the overall winner of the 46th King Abdulaziz International Qur’anic Competition in Saudi Arabia.

Senator Tinubu presented the gift to Maryam on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, led a delegation to formally present the young champion to her.

Maryam, a student of Abubakar Siddiq Community Islamic School for Qur’anic Memorisation, Gombe, defeated contestants from several countries to win the prestigious international competition in the category for memorisation of the entire Qur’an, recitation, Tajweed and interpretation.

Her victory was particularly significant as she emerged champion in the first year that female contestants were admitted to the 46-year-old competition.

Receiving Maryam, her parents, teachers and members of the Gombe delegation, the First Lady described the teenager as a source of pride to Nigerian women and the girl-child.

“Maryam has brought joy to us. You have made us proud by conquering the world, especially in this area of faith and divine knowledge,” Tinubu said.

She commended Maryam’s parents and teachers for their roles in her development, while also praising the Gombe State Musabaqa Committee and Governor Yahaya for creating an environment where girls and vulnerable children could thrive.

In a statement by Governor Yahaya’s spokesperson, Ismaila Uba Misilli, the First Lady also described Gombe’s Tsangaya Integrated School System and Almajiri education programme as initiatives worthy of national replication.

She said addressing the challenges of Almajiri and out-of-school children required deliberate interventions, adding that the federal government’s Renewed Hope agenda also prioritised women, the girl-child and vulnerable Nigerians.

Tinubu urged Maryam to remain humble and uphold her values, charging her to become a role model for other young Nigerians.

The First Lady also noted that Gombe had produced remarkable women, including the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed and former House of Representatives member Aishatu Jibril Dukku, whom she said could inspire the young Qur’anic champion.

Earlier, Governor Yahaya said he brought Maryam to the Presidential Villa to demonstrate that her achievement was not only a source of pride to Gombe but to the entire country.

“We wanted to show how grateful we are and to demonstrate that this pride is not for Gombe alone, but for the entire nation. We also want this achievement to inspire others,” the governor said.

Yahaya said Maryam’s feat was particularly significant because she competed against hundreds of participants from across the world and emerged overall champion representing Nigeria.

The governor also disclosed that Maryam’s elder sister, Hajara, had previously represented Nigeria at an international Qur’anic competition in Jordan and emerged overall winner.

He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for publicly identifying with Maryam’s achievement, saying the recognition demonstrated the federal government’s commitment to celebrating excellence among young Nigerians.

Yahaya further reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering women and expanding opportunities for girls to reach their full potential.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, Dr Mohammed Sani Idris, commended Gombe for its interventions in Almajiri and out-of-school children education.

Idris urged other state governors to emulate Gombe, saying wider adoption of similar initiatives could significantly reduce the number of Almajiri and out-of-school children across the country.

He described Maryam’s achievement as evidence that Qur’anic education could complement, rather than conflict with, formal education.

According to him, her success demonstrated that young Nigerians could acquire deep Qur’anic knowledge while pursuing formal education and use both forms of knowledge to achieve excellence.

The Director of Administration of Abubakar Siddiq Community Islamic School, Prof. Tahir Inuwa, said Maryam’s international triumph was the result of a progression through local government and state competitions before she emerged as national champion and subsequently represented Nigeria in Saudi Arabia.

He commended Governor Yahaya for his support for the school, the state Musabaqa Committee and education development in Gombe.

Maryam was accompanied to the Presidential Villa by her parents, teachers, Gombe State First Lady Dr Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya, government officials and other prominent indigenes of the state.