President Muhammadu Buhari, former Military President, General Ibrhaim Babangida and former President Goodluck Jonathan were honoured on Sunday by the Centre for Qur’anic Reciters of Nigeria.
The three prominent Nigerians were honoured at a conference on the ills of street begging, in recognition of their contributions towards religious tolerance and efforts at reducing the problem of Almajiri and begging in the country.
Also honoured were the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and two other emirs.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, former Ministers of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and Professor Ruqayyat Ahmed Rufa’i, were also honoured for the various roles they played in setting up 64 tsangaya schools in some northern states.
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The conference where the honour was conferred was held at the Arewa House in Kaduna and chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar.
Speaking at the occasion, the Sultan of Sokoto emphasized that the culture whereby parents take their young children to Islamic teachers, purportedly to learn the recitation of the Qur’an without making any provision for their upkeep, was strange to Islam.
He said creating a conducive learning environment and system for children could best be achieved with cooperation among parents, teachers, civil society organisations, government and other stakeholders.
The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Hamid Bobboye, who spoke at the occasion described the almajiri culture as a case of slavery.
He said in the past, society made full provision for the Qur’anic teachers and that enabled them to take care of the children under their care.
In his contribution former Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, reminded the gathering of the efforts of Jonathan to improving the learning culture by establishing 64 tsangaya schools,
He said the effort had made the teachers and their pupils operate in a conducive and secured environment.
