Edo breaks regional barriers, picks 10 Qur’anic reciters for national contest

In a move to broaden participation in Islamic religious education and promote inclusion, Edo State has selected 10 Qur’anic reciters to represent it at the 2026 National Musaabaqah, scheduled for Jigawa State in December.

The selection followed a final of the state’s Qur’anic recitation competition, held in Benin, with organisers disclosing that about 1,000 students participated in the preliminary contests at local government and senatorial district levels.

The state coordinator of Musaabaqah, Hamza Umar Usman, who announced the results, said the successful participants emerged winners in their respective categories.

The selected reciters comprise male and female contestants.

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Chairman of the state’s Musaabaqah and traditional ruler of South Ibie, Kelvin Danesi, said the competition had been decentralised to ensure that Muslims in Edo South, Edo Central and Edo North could participate fully.

Earlier, Special Adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo on Islamic Religious Matters, Ahmed Musa Momoh, said the competition was designed to encourage children to learn and memorise the Qur’an, promote Islamic knowledge and moral discipline, and foster unity, peace and brotherhood among Muslims.

Also, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Musa Ikhilor, praised the state coordinator and the judges for their efforts, urging Muslim parents to encourage their children to take Qur’anic studies and recitation seriously.