Muslims should prioritise the pursuit of beneficial knowledge to strengthen faith and devotion, participants at the third Islamic and Science Quiz Competition in Lagos were told. The event, organised by the Muslim Teachers' Association of Nigeria (MUTAN), Lagos State chapter, brought together students and educators at the competition held in Lagos. In his welcome address, MUTAN Lagos State Chairman Abdulwahab Oyetunde emphasised the importance of combining religious and scientific education. He said the competition was designed to motivate Muslim students to excel academically while remaining grounded in Islamic principles. Over 500 students from 25 secondary schools across Lagos participated in the quiz, which featured questions on Qur'anic studies, Islamic history, mathematics, and basic science. The winning team, from Al-Hikmah College, received a cash prize of ₦200,000, trophies, and educational materials. MUTAN also used the event to launch a scholarship initiative for indigent Muslim students in public schools. The association reaffirmed its commitment to promoting quality education and moral development among Muslim youths in Nigeria.
Abdulwahab Oyetunde's push for Muslim students to balance religious and scientific education exposes a long-standing tension in northern and Muslim-majority communities, where religious instruction often overshadows formal schooling. By anchoring MUTAN's quiz competition in both Qur'anic and STEM subjects, he is challenging the notion that Islamic education must come at the expense of academic progress. This is not just about quizzes — it's a quiet intervention in a cultural debate over what kind of knowledge is valued.
The fact that over 500 students from 25 Lagos schools took part shows that demand exists for platforms that validate both faith and intellectual growth. The ₦200,000 prize and scholarship initiative signal an effort to make education tangible, not symbolic. In a country where Muslim girls' school dropout rates remain high and Almajiri children are often excluded from formal systems, MUTAN's model offers an alternative path rooted in inclusion, not confrontation.
For ordinary Muslim families in Lagos and beyond, this means education no longer has to be a choice between piety and progress. Students from schools like Al-Hikmah College now have visible rewards for excelling in both spaces. If scaled, such initiatives could shift how communities invest in youth, particularly in regions where religious leaders hold more influence than policymakers.
This fits a growing trend where professional Muslim associations — from doctors to teachers — are stepping in to fill governance gaps in education and social services.
