Oluwanifise Onafowokan, a student of The Ambassador College, Ota, Ogun State has revealed that long hours of work and practice are the factors responsible for her deep knowledge of Mathematics, a subject that is a nightmare for many of her colleagues.
Onafowokan, who is participating in the Senior Category of the 2017 Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics TV Quiz Show sponsored by Cowbell, the flagship brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, explained that her love for Mathematics started early because of encouragement by her parents.
She added that the subject, which scares majority of students, comes naturally to her because of the devotion she pays to it. “I love solving Mathematical problems until I get tired. It has become a part of me. It is fun taking my mathematics textbook and my workbook; it relieves my stress. I just love my Mathematics,” she stated.
She praised her teacher and the school management for providing a conducive atmosphere for talents to boom among the students.
At the end of the preliminary round last weekend, Onafowokan and Plangdi Nepele of the Baptist High School, Naraguta, Plateau State advanced to the semi-final stage.
Onafowokan and Nepele, who got 95 per cent in the qualifying examinations conducted in March 2017 expressed confidence in their ability to excel in the competition. Onafowokan answered 13 questions in the Cowbellpedia 60 Seconds of Fame segment and has vowed to emulate her school mate, Ayooluwa Oguntade, who won the Senior Category last year.
Onafowokan and Nepele contested the preliminary rounds with Faith Edokpa of Mount Carmel Secondary School, Ekpoma, Edo State; Gift Nwere of FISO, Owerri, Imo State; Aisha Abubakar of Iqra Science Academy, Jalingo, Taraba State and Musa Usman of Government Science Secondary School, Faskari, Kastina State.
In the Junior Category, Oluwafemi Adeyanju of Jesuit Memorial College and Jesse Uche-Nwichi of Graceland International School, both in Port Harcourt, Rivers State qualified for the semi-finals.
Uche-Nwichi, son of a Computer Engineer, also wants to pursue a career in that profession to fulfil his ambition of developing a computer application that will stimulate human memory. He scored 98 percent in the qualifying examination conducted in March 2017.
“I am happy that I have crossed the first two hurdles, leaving two more to go. I am hoping for the best. My dream to wear the crown is very much alive,” he said.
Adeyanju, whose favourite foods are plantain and fish, got a perfect score in the qualifying examinations. He was grateful to God for helping him to overcome the initial stage fright that tensed him up and prayed for more grace and speed for the battle ahead.
For the Senior and Junior Categories, the ultimate prize is One Million Naira and an all-expense paid educational excursion outside the country, while the first and second runners-up will go home with Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira and Five Hundred Thousand Naira respectively.
Teachers of the category champions will be awarded the sum of Four Hundred Thousand Naira, while those of the first and second runners-up will receive Three Hundred Thousand Naira and Two Hundred Thousand Naira respectively. The winning schools will each have Mathematics textbooks, desktop computers and printers.
The 2017 Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics TV Quiz Show continues this weekend and will be aired to millions of viewers on DSTV Africa Magic Family Channel, Africa Independent Television (AIT) Network and other six television stations across the country.
