At 7, this girl is in secondary school
From MOSHOOD ADEBAYO, Abeokuta
Wednesday, October 20, 2010

She is, without a doubt, a genius. At seven, when many of her peers are still in primary three, little Atiyatullahi Arike Lawal has already gained admission into the Junior Secondary School (JSS).

Many people agree that the brilliant girl has performed a rare feat.

When schools in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital resumed for the 2010/2011 academic session recently, Atiyatullahi was the cynosure of all eyes as she joined other students at the Ikija High School, Abeokuta, where she had been admitted for her junior secondary education.

The first of her parents’ three children, Atiyatullahi isn’t just an academic whiz kid; she’s also a devoted Muslim. By the time she turned five, she had actually completed the reading of the Holy Quoran. Right now, she’s studying Arabic literature books.

When Daily Sun ran into the brilliant girl, she was so confident of what she wants to be in life. “With God on my side and with prayers, which I believe in, I hope to make a career in law. I want to be a lawyer so that I can be of great help to my immediate community in particular as well as serve mankind in general,” she said.

The girl’s dad, Mr. Lawal, said Atiyatullahi began manifesting uncommon brilliance when she took interest in reciting many books offhand. At the time, he recalled, she was just four.

“We discovered her at four because she used to recite so many things offhand, including many of the things she learnt in school. Initially, we were worried about her academic development, but later we discovered that she could read and understand English very well.

“Ordinarily, it is difficult to believe that at her age, she is already in JSS I, but that is the reality. During her primary education, particularly when she was between classes 2 and 4, she had double promotion. At that time she was at the Baptist Day School. That was between 2008 and 2009. That was where she also completed her education.”

Atiyatullahi’s parents are both teachers, and she started her education at a very young age. According to her dad, she started kindergarten when she was just two. She attended Ayodele Akode Memorial Nursery/Primary School as well as Almubarak Nursery and Primary School.

And when she was asked what her favourite subjects were, the girl retorted innocently: “My favourite subjects? I like English Language and Mathematics, but I prefer English Language.”

The girl never attended an Islamic school, but on March 15, 2008, she celebrated her Wolimat Al Quoran (completion of reading of the Holy Quoran). Her father actually took her through the study of the Islamic holy book himself. He had mastered the holy book at 25.

“I introduced her to the reading of the holy book precisely on January 6, 2007, and miraculously, she completed the introductory reading within two days. We are surprised that about a week to her fifth birthday, on November 25, 2007, she completed the recitation. She then started another aspect, which is Jurisprudence.

Lawal’s extraordinary intellectual abilities and mastery of the Quoran as well as her admission into the JSS I at such a tender age is already causing ripples, with many wondering whether such is actually possible.

An educationist, Mr. Olayiwola Oyenekan, while reacting to Atiyatullahi’s feat, noted: “It is a rare achievement, but the great challenge is for her to sustain it. A genius like that has the tendency to rubbish her records if she is not well guided, especially by her parents.

“An adage in Yoruba says it is not the beginning that matters, but the ability to sustain the rare feat. Her parents must ensure that she does not derail along the way. I recommend that they monitor her studies and ensure that she gets to the Promise Land, I mean the university, between the ages of 13 and 14.’’

An Islamic cleric, Alhaji Mohammed Tajudeen who commented on the ingenuity of the girl advised that her parents should guide her in the ways of God.

“She should be guided and shown the way of God,” he said. “She must be taught the principles of God and they should allow her move closer to God. She needs fervent prayers to actualize her dreams in life,” he said.

Ndipe:

“With God on my side and with prayers, which I believe in, I hope to make a career in law. I want to be a lawyer so that I can be of great help to my immediate community in particular as well as serve mankind in general,”

“With God on my side and with prayers, which I believe in, I hope to make a career in law. I want to be a lawyer so that I can be of great help to my immediate community in particular as well as serve mankind in general,” she said.

michelin89:

If for real she made that speech, word by word, then she is really miles ahead her mates.

stevetboy9:

Interesting! I pray jealous and envious people won't spoil her dream oh.

Youngichou:

This not news at 7 i was also in JS1 infact entering JS2. I Graduated secondary school at 12 now i am 19 and will be thru studying Medcine this Year.
Fools some1 comes here to tell you rubbish and you belived it. Hisses

michelin89:

If for real she made that speech, word by word, then she is really miles ahead her mates.

Donmeca:

I'm amazed! the girl is really brilliant but did she truly weave these complex sentences herself? In English or Yoruba? I fink Daily Sun has some answers to give here. . .Most of her peers would have said: "I want to be a lawyer." I'm not taking anything away from her anyway.

ol, abi o.

ladygaga:

whts the biggie had an eight yr old in my class back then, bunmi oloyede