Two young Nigerians, Maryam and Muhammad, have earned international recognition after emerging among the 50 winners of the 46th King Abdulaziz International Qur’an Competition held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The achievement came amid stiff competition involving 334 contestants from 133 countries, making their emergence among the winners a significant accomplishment for Nigeria.
The competition, organised to promote Qur’an memorisation, recitation and study, brings together talented young Muslims from across the world to demonstrate their knowledge and mastery of the Holy Qur’an.
According to an official statement signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director, Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the Chairman/CEO of the commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, congratulated Maryam and Muhammad on their outstanding achievement.
Dabiri-Erewa described their success as a proud moment for Nigeria, noting that the duo had represented the country with distinction and projected a positive image of Nigeria on an important international platform.
She said the achievement was also a reflection of the talent, discipline, hard work and determination of Nigerian youths.
The NiDCOM Chairman noted that the recognition would serve as an inspiration to other young Nigerians, demonstrating what could be achieved when talent is combined with dedication and opportunity.
The 46th edition of the competition also recorded a significant increase in prize money, with more than SAR10.26 million, approximately N4.1 billion, awarded to successful contestants.
Dabiri-Erewa commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its continued commitment to promoting Qur’anic knowledge and providing an international platform for participants from diverse countries and backgrounds.
She wished Maryam and Muhammad continued success in their Qur’anic journey, expressing confidence that they would continue to make Nigeria proud.
