Bauchi — Three-year-old girl Ruqayyatu Fatahu was among the 275 pupil pupils from different Qur'anic memorization schools under the tutelage of renowned Islamic scholar Sheikh Dahiru Usman that learnt the Holy Qur'an by heart in Bauchi this year.

Little Ruqayyatu was asked by Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi to stand before a mammoth crowd that attended the graduation ceremony and asked prominent people to recite any verse of the Qur'an they wanted the girl to recite and the girl performed wonderfully.

Sheikh Bauchi, who is the grandfather of the girl, said the number of pupils that memorized Qur'an from within and outside the country last year was 695.

He recalled that between 1942 and 1950 there were only 13 Quranic memorizers in the whole Bauchi as against today when his school alone was graduating 275 students at a go. He said among them are his 61 biological children.

Head teacher of Madrasatu Markazusssaqafiyyil Islamiyyi Bauchi Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad said of the 275 graduands, 84 came from Kaduna State, 53 from Bidda in Niger State while the rest came from different schools within Bauchi State.

Bauchi State governor Isa Yuguda, who was represented by his commissioner for religious affairs Alhaji Salisu Barau, urged other religious leaders to emulate the exemplary leadership of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi.

Emir of Bauchi Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu, who was represented by Dan Darman Bauchi Alhaji Yakubu Adamu, urged parents not to shy away from their responsibility of educating their wards and children.