Governor Inuwa Presents International Qur’anic Competition Champion Maryam Dan’azumi to First Lady

Governor Inuwa Presents International Qur’anic Competition Champion Maryam Dan’azumi to First Lady

— Oluremi Tinubu Honours 19-Year-Old Gombe Prodigy with N20m, Commends State’s Girl-Child and Almajiri Education Initiatives

By The Analyst Online Media

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, has presented 19-year-old Maryam Ibrahim Dan’azumi, Nigeria’s champion at the 46th King Abdulaziz International Qur’anic Competition in Saudi Arabia, to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Maryam, a student of Abubakar Siddiq Community Islamic School for Qur’anic Memorisation, Gombe, emerged overall winner of the prestigious international competition after competing against contestants from several countries.

She represented Nigeria in the category covering memorisation of the entire Holy Qur’an, recitation, Tajweed and interpretation, comprising 60 Hizb with Tafsir.

Her victory was particularly significant as it came in the first year female contestants were admitted into the 46-year-old competition, making her achievement a landmark moment for Nigeria and the girl-child.

Receiving Maryam, her parents, teachers and members of the Gombe delegation, Senator Oluremi Tinubu described the young Qur’anic scholar as a source of pride to Nigerian women, the girl-child and the country at large.

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

She commended Maryam’s parents for their upbringing, her teachers for their mentorship, the Gombe State Musabaqa Committee for its support and Governor Inuwa Yahaya for creating an environment in which girls and vulnerable children could pursue education and fulfil their potential.

The First Lady also praised the Gombe State Government’s Tsangaya Integrated School System and Almajiri education programme, describing the initiatives as examples that could be considered for wider adoption.

Recalling her visit to Gombe, Senator Tinubu said she had witnessed firsthand the state’s efforts to address the challenges of Almajiri and out-of-school children.

She noted that the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope initiative also places emphasis on supporting women, the girl-child and vulnerable Nigerians.

Senator Tinubu further described Gombe as a state that had produced accomplished women, citing the Gombe State First Lady, Dr. Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya; United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed; and former House of Representatives member, Hon. Aishatu Jibril Dukku, as examples of women from whom Maryam could draw inspiration.

She urged the young champion to remain humble, uphold her values and use her achievement to inspire other young Nigerians.

As part of the recognition, Senator Tinubu presented Maryam with N20 million to support her education, alongside other gifts.

Governor Inuwa: Maryam’s Victory Belongs to Nigeria

Earlier, Governor Inuwa Yahaya said he deliberately brought Maryam to the Presidential Villa to express the state’s gratitude for her achievement and to underscore its national significance.

“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.

Governor Inuwa, who was accompanied by Maryam’s parents, teachers, school authorities and other prominent indigenes of the state, said the visit provided an opportunity for the First Lady, as the “mother of the nation”, to honour the young champion and celebrate her accomplishment.

He acknowledged Senator Tinubu’s commitment to gender inclusion and the advancement of the girl-child, stressing that Maryam’s victory was significant because she had competed on an international stage and emerged overall champion.

“We are grateful that she is our daughter from Gombe, but most importantly, she is a Nigerian who went, saw and conquered on behalf of Nigeria,” he said.

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

He described the achievements of the two sisters as a source of pride and a blessing to both Gombe State and Nigeria.

Governor Inuwa expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for recognising Maryam’s achievement in a presidential statement, describing the gesture as evidence of the administration’s commitment to celebrating excellence among young Nigerians.

He recalled that his administration had promised to honour Maryam following her return from Saudi Arabia, adding that her presentation to the First Lady represented a fitting national recognition of her accomplishment.

The governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering women and expanding opportunities for them to contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.

Almajiri Commission Commends Gombe

The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, Dr. Mohammed Sani Idris, commended the Gombe State Government for its commitment to education, particularly interventions targeting Almajiri and out-of-school children.

He urged other state governments to study and emulate the state’s approach, arguing that stronger interventions across the 36 states could significantly reduce the number of Almajiri and out-of-school children.

Dr. Idris also described Maryam’s achievement as evidence that Qur’anic education can coexist with formal education.

He said her accomplishment demonstrated that young Nigerians could acquire deep Qur’anic knowledge while pursuing formal education and subsequently combine both forms of learning to achieve excellence.

He commended the First Lady for honouring the Qur’anic competition champion, saying the gesture reflected recognition of the significance of the Qur’an and the achievements of young Nigerians in international competitions.

School: Maryam’s Success Built on Sustained Excellence

Speaking on behalf of Abubakar Siddiq Community Islamic School, Herwagana Quarters, Gombe, the Director of Administration, Prof. Tahir Inuwa, said Maryam’s journey to the international stage was the result of sustained excellence and preparation.

He explained that she had progressed through the local government and state levels before emerging victorious nationally and subsequently representing Nigeria at the international competition in Saudi Arabia.

Prof. Tahir commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya for his continued support for the school, the Gombe State Musabaqa Committee and education generally.

He said the state’s interventions had increasingly positioned Gombe as an emerging reference point in inclusive education.

Gombe Delegation

The delegation that accompanied Governor Inuwa Yahaya and Maryam to the Presidential Villa included the First Lady of Gombe State, Dr. Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya; Maryam’s father, Alhaji Ibrahim Dan’azumi; wife of the Gombe State APC governorship candidate, Dr. Zainab Isiyaku Gwamna; former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aishatu Jibril Dukku; Presidential Adviser, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar; and Federal Permanent Secretaries, Dr. Ishiyaku Mohammed and Dr. Usman Kalba.

Others were the Commissioner for Education, Associate Professor Aishatu Umar Maigari; Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Bertha Danja; and Special Adviser to the Governor on Tsangaya Education, Sayyada Amina Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi.

Also present were Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Architect Yunusa Yakubu; Proprietor, Quantity Surveyor Anas Adamu; Director of School Administration, Professor Tahir Inuwa; and Chairman of the Gombe State Musabaqa Committee, Sheikh Imam Mohammed Adam Ardo.