Three pupils of the Ansa-Ud-Deen Girls’ High School, Itire, have won the top three prizes of the Alhaja Nusiratu Amope Sonibare Quranic and Islamic Quiz competition organised by the Duro-Emanuel Education Foundation Board.
The three girls – Akinsanmi Zeenatullah, KosokoYeqeenah, and Ahmed Faidat – won the best three prizes leaving nothing for pupils from the Ansa-Ud-Deen College, Isolo, and the Ansa-Ud-Deen Girls High Schoo, Surulere where the competition was held.
Zeenatullahi, 16 and a Senior Secondary School 3 student went home with a computer set and N100,000 paid into her school account; Yeqeenah also got a computer set and N50,000 paid into her school account, while Faidat got a computer.
Speaking at the event, the President, Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Alhaji Abdul-lateef Okunnu, said the competition is useful to the students, as it will help increase their knowledge of Islam.
Okunnu, who also spoke on security challenges in the country, urged those in attendance especially the participants that Islam which they profess is a peaceful religion.
He told the participants not to be deceived by the Boko Haram sect adding that they are not Muslims and are going against the teachings of Islam.
He said: “Nigerian has been facing security challenges, the latest being engineered by those that call themselves Boko Haram. Don’t follow their footsteps, don’t allow them deceive you. Islam is knowledge and knowledge is embedded in Islam. Anyone who says knowledge is not Islam is not a true Muslim.
“Islam does not say we should kill ourselves. Those who are committing suicide are not following the induction of Islam.”
He thanked the members of the Duro-emanuel family for giving the pupils the opportunity.
In his own remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture Dr OlajideBasorun, who also donated a complete public address system to the school, enjoined everyone to support Islamic education in Lagos State. “Build the future of the children in the right way and donate to the course of Islam. Whatever you donate is an investment in your tomorrow,” he said.
The Chairman of the Foundation, Dr Abdulwaheed Smith called for support and donations from individuals and corporate bodies, to keep the foundation running.
He said the aim of the competition is to honour their late mother whom he described as ‘very religious’ adding that if she were still alive, she would love to impart the knowledge of Islam to as many children as possible.
All 30 previous participants that were later reduced to 10 finalists got scholarships.
