By Bala Dauda, Damaturu
The Proprietor of the Ibrahim Sheriff Institute of Quranic Recitation in Borno State, Professor Sheriff Almuhajir, says the Institute is aligning its new reforms with the education transformation agenda of Gov Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State.
Speaking at the Institute’s 32nd Annual Quranic Graduation Ceremony held at BOCOLIS, Maiduguri, the Proprietor said the decision to expand the Institute was a direct response to the Governor’s giant strides in reviving both conventional and Islamic education across the state.
“We are building on Zulum’s foundation for modernizing Islamic education,” he said. “The Governor has shown that education is the only way to restore Borno. As custodians of Quranic scholarship, we must also modernize so that our students can compete, serve, and lead.”
The Ibrahim Sheriff Institute of Quranic Recitation was formally established in 1990 at the Mafoni Primary School in Maiduguri. It was named after its founder, Sheikh Ibrahim Sheriff Elhassan Jere, a trained Quranic reciter and scholar of Tafsir who graduated from Al-Azhar University, Cairo.
According to the Proprietor, the dream was sustained by the founder’s younger brother, Goni Musa Sheriff, and supported by their brothers, the late Hassan Sheriff El-Hassan and Muhammad Nazir Sheriff Elhassan.
“What started as a small circle of students in our family house has grown, by the mercy of Allah, into an institution that has served Borno for 35 years,” he added.
Since 1990 to date, the Institute has graduated over 3,500 certified Quranic reciters. Many of them now serve as Imams, Quranic teachers, and scholars in mosques, schools, and communities across Borno, Yobe, and other parts of Nigeria.
Beyond memorization, the Institute focused on Tajwid, Adab, and character building. During the years of insurgency, the Institute remained open as a center for dhikr, learning, and community support in Maiduguri.
“The Institute has contributed in producing people of the Qur’an, those who recite it, live by it, and teach it,” the Proprietor stated.
The Proprietor listed five key projects aimed at modernizing Quranic education including returning the school to its former location, establishment of secondary section, introducing Diploma Programme, online Quranic classes and grand alumni Quranic graduation slated for December.
To demonstrate commitment, the Proprietor announced that all 25 graduands at Sunday’s ceremony have been enrolled into the new Secondary School Section with immediate effect.
The Institute extended gratitude to Governor Zulum and his team for creating an enabling environment for Islamic scholarship, to the Commissioner of Education for his support, and to the Khalifa and members of the Sheriff Elhassan Jere Family who remain the owners of the Institute.
The Proprietor also acknowledged the role of respected scholars including Professor Hamma Adama Biu, Professor Umar Yunus, and Professor Yakub Yunus, who advised the founding fathers.
“We call on the public, philanthropists, and partners to support us in cash and in kind as we embark on this journey. The work of the Qur’an is heavy, but its reward with Allah is greater,” he said.