Bianca Iboma
The 2019 edition of the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) National Mathematics Competition held recently for primary schools in the country has ended.
The annual competition is in conjunction with the National Mathematics Centre (NMC) and NTIC as over 15,000 public and private primary schools participated.
Nine-year-old Enwere-Kingsley Ikenna of Cuddly Kids School, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos emerged overall winner of the 16th Annual National Mathematics competition.
Ikenna won the star prize, scoring 98.85 per cent to defeat 39,518 other pupils who participated in the competition from the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory.
Ikenna revealed that it was not his first competition but the first time he would emerged Mathematics champion. He said his teacher, Mr. A. Kayode contributed to his success.
“I want to thank my teachers, parents and my friends whose efforts made me successful, they were always there to support my study. My teacher is diligent with his work, he always encourage and make me understand that success requires a lot of preparation.”
Ikenna disclosed that his teacher helped to remove the phobia he had about Mathematics and will remain grateful to him for the opportunity to discover his mathematical skill.
Principal of NTIC Ogun campus, Mr. Ercan Yilmaz, said Ikenna received full scholarship worth N300,000, while his teacher got N200,000 and his school received a digital printer and desktop.
Yilmaz said pupils who emerged winners from second to seventh position also got full scholarship from the college while winners from eighth to the twelfth position received 100 per cent scholarship on tuition among other prizes .
“This is certainly a display of academic commitment par excellence which NTIC as a school that rewards hard work would not be tired of promoting
“We believe that pupils who could devote much of their time to the mastery of Mathematics, that others in their ignorance, consider a big devil should be rewarded,” he said.
The principal noted that over the years, the competition had been strengthened and improved in quality, quantity and the spread of participation.
He lauded the state Universal Basic Education Boards in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Kwara States for their partnership to further improve participation, organisation and manpower deployments for the competition.
Mr. J. O. Odeyemi, Director, Curriculum Development and Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ogun, also said the award was not just to recognise the brilliant pupils but to encourage others to excel.
Odeyemi, represented by Mrs. Olayemi Aromolati, an official of the ministry said the award was laudable because it was aimed at recognising young talent who have made immense contribution to the college, which would in turn affect the society positively.
Kayode Oluwaseyi-Emeka of Brainiacs Montessori Schools, Ogun State, who emerged second position with 97.37 per cent, received N200, 000 while N100, 000 went to his teacher, his school received a digital printer and desktop.
Daaron Okam, of Bridging Gap Schools, Lagos, came third with 96.53 per cent and received N100,000, his teacher got N75, 000, while digital printer went to his school. Ayomikun Bello emerged fourth position.