Seven-year-old Abdulateef Abdulahi has emerged winner of the Quran Recitation Competition sponsored by the Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.
The Quran competition was part of activities organized by Bayo Adelabu Foundation (BAF) to celebrate this year’s Eid-El-Kabir festival.
The competition, which was held at Jericho base of the foundation in Ibadan, involved 11 participants ranging between the ages of five and 14.
While addressing the audience, the apex bank’s Deputy Governor, Adebayo Adelabu stated that the competition was purposely organized to encourage children to develop more interest in seeking knowledge from Almighty Allah by going to Islamic classes to learn about reading and understanding of the Holy Quran.
He emphasized that the knowledge about western education alone is nothing without the knowledge about the fear of God which can be acquired through the reading and understanding of the Holy Quran.
Adebayo Adelabu, who is also the Agbaakin Parakoyi Olubadan of Ibadan Land noted that it would be difficult for a child who has been taught and bred in the path of God to get involved in cultism or any crime, adding that understanding of the Quran will go a long way in guiding them in their various endeavors.
He, therefore, advised parents to ensure that their wards are enrolled in Islamic classes to seek knowledge about reading and understanding of Quran to support their western education for them to become more successful in their choosen careers.
Meanwhile, Abdulateef Abdulahi, who came first went home with the cash prize of N100,000.00, Oyetunde Kadijat and Abdulateef Haliya emerged second and third went home with cash prizes of N50,000.00 and N25,000.00 respectively.
At the other side of the stage was a renowned Islamic gospel singer, Alhaji Abdulwasiu As-Sidiq, who added glamour to the well attended event by people from different walks of life including the All Progressives Congress (APC) woman leader in Oyo State, William Mabel, former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in Oyo State, Adebayo Ojo, Mr. Taiwo Akande, Alhaji Adeleke and members and friends of the Adegoke Adelabu Dynasty.
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
