The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, has congratulated Maryam Ibrahim Dan’azumi of Gombe State on her emergence as the overall winner of the 46th King Abdulaziz International Qur’anic Competition held in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Dan’azumi, an indigene of Gombe State and student of Abubakar Siddiq Community Islamic School for Qur’anic Memorisation, Herwagana Quarters, Gombe, represented Nigeria at the prestigious international competition.
She competed in the category covering memorisation of the entire Holy Qur’an, recitation, Tajweed and interpretation, involving 60 Hizb with Tafsir.
In a statement issued on Friday, August 21, 2026, and signed by Prince Bashir Adefaka on behalf of the Media Team of the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence described Dan’azumi’s achievement as a source of immense pride to Nigeria and the global Muslim Ummah.
The Sultan said the young Qur’anic scholar’s success on the international stage demonstrated the exceptional potential of Nigerian Muslim youths when given the opportunity and proper guidance to develop their talents.
He said the achievement was particularly significant because the 46th edition of the King Abdulaziz International Qur’anic Competition marked the first participation of female contestants in the 46-year history of the competition.
The Sultan expressed particular delight that a Nigerian girl emerged as the overall winner in an international competition of such significance, recalling how another Nigerian girl, 17, from Northern Nigeria, Nafisa Aminu, had made the country proud at the 2025 TeenEagle Global Finals in London, United Kingdom where she sparked widespread celebration and renewed national discourse on the value of education in Nigeria.
Nafisa, a student of Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC), Yobe State, beat over 20,000 participants from 69 countries, including native English-speaking nations, to emerge the overall best in English Language skills globally in 2025.
Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar said the latest achievement of Maryam Dan’azumi in the far away Kingdom of Saudi Arabia further demonstrated the importance of investing in the education and development of the girl child, particularly in the North and across Nigeria.
His Eminence has consistently advocated education for the girl child and expressed satisfaction that increasing numbers of Muslim women are excelling in professional fields, including medicine and other disciplines, across the country.
According to the Sultan, knowledge of Arabic provides Muslim children with an important means of understanding the Qur’an and practising their faith, while sound education generally remains essential to building a disciplined, productive and responsible society.
He said Dan’azumi’s progression from the local and regional levels to national and ultimately international recognition was a remarkable demonstration of what dedication, discipline and proper mentorship can achieve.
The Sultan said the Nigerian Muslim community and the country as a whole would not take the achievement for granted.
He congratulated Dan’azumi, her parents, teachers, school and the Gombe State Government for their contributions to her success, while urging other young Nigerians to emulate her dedication and pursuit of excellence.
His Eminence prayed that Allah would continue to increase Dan’azumi in knowledge and wisdom and make her achievement a source of inspiration to other young girls and boys across Nigeria.
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