Governor of Sokoto State, Ahmed Aliyu, has reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to create an enabling environment for Qur’anic memorisation among children in the state.
He gave the assurance at the graduation of 111 memorisers of the Glorious Qur’an from the state branch of the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation.
Governor Aliyu noted that encouraging Qur’anic memorisation among children will help raise a generation that upholds the good teachings of Islam in line with the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
According to him, his administration has placed Islamic propagation as a top priority, ranking second only to security in his 9-point Smart Agenda.
“We have awarded contracts for the renovation of 65 Jumu’at Mosques, out of which 25 had since been completed and 15 successfully commissioned.
“We have also introduced monthly cash allocations to all our Jumu’at Mosques, ranging from N300,000 to N500,000 depending on their category.
“In addition, monthly allowances had been introduced for Imams, their deputies, and Mu’azzins across the state to support them in the discharge of their duties,” the governor said.
Governor Aliyu further directed the school management to identify a land suitable for the establishment of its permanent site and forward the proposal to the state government for necessary action.
He congratulated the graduates for successfully memorising the Holy Qur’an and prayed that their knowledge would benefit society.
In his remarks, Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar commended Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi for his foresight in establishing the foundation, which continues to train young people in Qur’anic memorisation.
He also praised the contributions of scholars (Ulamas) in promoting Islamic ideals and peaceful coexistence in the state and the country at large.
Also speaking, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, represented by Dr. Aminu Sufi, commended the Sokoto State Government for consistently prioritising Islamic affairs.
Similarly, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, represented by Dr. Lawal Liman, praised the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation and announced a donation of N10 million to the graduates, N10 million to the ceremony organisers, and N2 million plus food items to the school management.
In his address, the school proprietor, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, represented by Ibrahim Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, explained that the school, which began in Bauchi, had expanded to other states to enable children to memorise the Qur’an within four years.
He expressed optimism that if such schools are established across the North, they would greatly help in addressing the menace of street begging among children.
At the event, the Sokoto State Government, through the Ministry of Religious Affairs, donated N20,000 and clothing materials to each of the 111 graduates.
The ceremony was rounded off with the presentation of prizes to the graduating students.
