Organized by Senator Basheer Garba Lado, Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, the event honors the late Hajia Abibatu Mogaji Tinubu, mother of President Tinubu, for her lifelong service to humanity.

The competition, known as Musabaqa, commenced on April 21, 2025, and has drawn thousands of young Qur’an reciters from across Kano’s 44 Local Government Areas.

In a statement personally signed by Senator Lado, he announced that President Tinubu will serve as the grand patron and guest of honor, with former President Buhari also attending as a guest of honor, alongside other dignitaries from within and outside Nigeria.

The grand finale will take place at the Meena Events Center in Kano.

Described as a Sadaqatul Jariya—a continuous act of charity in Islamic tradition—the competition aims to honor parents through good deeds.

“The most lasting gift is not built of stone or gold. It is the Word of Allah, carried in the hearts of children,” Lado said.

He dedicated the event to Hajia Abibatu Mogaji Tinubu and “every mother who teaches Alif before Apple, who whispers du’a into the night.”

The competition began with screenings at the local government level, followed by zonal rounds, and will culminate in a state-level Musabaqa. From thousands of participants, 150 finalists—75 boys and 75 girls—will compete in the grand finale.

A distinguished panel of judges from Qatar, Egypt, Algeria, Malaysia, Sudan, Senegal, and Nigerian scholars will evaluate the reciters.

Winners will receive transformative prizes, including residential housing units, sponsored Umrah pilgrimages, motor vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles, industrial sewing machines, and cash awards.

Lado emphasized that the competition underscores the intersection of faith, social empowerment, and nation-building, presenting the Qur’an as both a spiritual guide and a pathway to dignity and opportunity.

Kano was chosen as the host city due to its rich legacy of Qur’anic excellence, having produced global champions in memorization and recitation. “Kano is a city of heart and history.

It is where I began organizing Qur’an recitation competitions years ago, and where the Qur’an is not just studied but loved,” Lado noted. He added that the initiative will expand to other parts of Nigeria following its launch in Kano.

The event highlights Kano’s historical significance as a center of Islamic scholarship and devotion, reinforcing its role as a beacon of faith and learning in Nigeria.