₦airaland Forum

Nelson Bluejack and Ivana Edun, both students of Lucille Education Centre (LEC), Bonny in Rivers State, Nigeria, are now the reigning King and Queen of Mathematics, after winning the senior and junior categories of the King/Queen of Mathematics Contest 2021.

The champions were announced at the Grand Finale of the King/Queen of Mathematics Contest, an annual competition organized by the G30 Ibani Voice, a non-governmental organization, with sponsorship from DavFub Nigeria Limited and the Bonny Constituency Office in the Rivers State House of Assembly, among others.

Bluejack won the star prize of N1,000,000, while Edun won N500,000 in her category. Both teenagers won a scholarship up to first degree in the university, and a copy of ‘Make Yourself A Mathematician’, among other goodies.

Bluejack and Edun, who emerged from a keenly contested competition involving all the secondary schools in Bonny Local Government Area, will hold their respective titles for one year beginning from Saturday, December 4, 2021.

On the other hand, Oluwadare Oluwasegun of Kings and Queens College, and Valerie Edun of LEC, emerged first and second runners-up in the senior category, while Dappa Prinye of Faith Academy, and Boma Iyalla of LEC, emerged first and second runners-up in the junior category.

Oluwadare won N200,000, Dappa, N100,000, while Valerie and Boma won N50,000 each, in their respective positions.

Speaking at the event, the lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Abinye Pepple said his support for the contest was predicated on his conviction that Education plays a critical and strategic role in the actualization of human aspirations and advancement of society.

The astute lawmaker noted that “Education is the only way forward and one fundamental factor that guarantees our destiny as a people and our future as a kingdom,” pledging to sustain his support to Education in Bonny and beyond.

Also speaking, the Leader of the Bonny Legislative Assembly, Rt. Hon. Larry Ibaningo, praised the passion of the students in their academics, urging them to take advantage of opportunities to advance their academic pursuits, while commending the organizers for putting together such a noble and inspiring competition.

On his part, President of G30 Ibani Voice, Dr Fubara Dan-Jumbo voiced his commitment to the advancement of humanity, positing that Education remains a vehicle for the realization of the aspirations of the youths, announcing that with this year’s competition, the King/Queen of Mathematics Contest will continue to soar in prize value and deepening of its intellectual credentials.

President of G30 Ibani Voice, Dr Fubara Dan-Jumbo congratulated the new King of Mathematics in Bonny LGA, urging him to continue taking his studies seriously and aspiring to higher heights.

Dr Dan-Jumbo, who is also the Group Managing Director/CEO of Davfub Nigeria Limited, stressed the need to revive academic competitions among students aimed at helping them discover their best potentials, noting that “Education stands out as the only reliable vehicle to attaining excellence in their field of studies”.

The former Coventry University lecturer recommended the book “Make Yourself A Mathematician” as a tool for building bridges in Mathematics, pointing out that it was designed to self-tutor those with weak background in Mathematics.

Present at the event were the Councillors representing Wards 6, Hon. Erefaa Allaputa, and 12, Hon. Marvellous Bristol, respectively, in the Bonny Legislative Assembly, Founder/Executive Director of Adata Bristol Foundation (ABF), Mrs. Adata Bristol, Publisher of Kristina Reports, Mr. Godswill Jumbo, Zonal Director of Education, Mr. Edward Kiri, Principals, amongst other guests.

The previous winners of the contest, Emelda Eno and Fubara Omubo decorated the new King and Queen of mathematics with their respective crowns and sash for the King of Mathematics. The Principal of Lucille Education Centre (LEC), Mr. Esau Enyinnaya, won the Principal of the Year Award, alongside his school that also won Best Secondary School of the Year Award.

The G30 Ibani Voice, a socio-political pressure group in Bonny, Rivers State says this year’s King and Queen of Mathematics Competition will see winners go home with N1.5 million, adding that this was to sustain its drive to rekindle the waning interest in the subject of Mathematics.

President of the group, Dr. Fubara Dan-Jumbo announced this on Friday, June 25, 2021, when he led some leaders of the group on a tour of select secondary schools in Bonny.

Announcing the commencement of preparations for the competition, Dr. Dan-Jumbo, who is also a philanthrpist, stated that there will be two categories, Category A, involving Senior Secondary Students to be host by BNGS; and Category B, involving Junior Secondary Students, to be hosted by GGSSF, all in Bonny Local Government Area.

“We have chosen Bonny National Grammar School as the centre for Category A in the King or Queen of Mathematics Competition 2021. We have Finima Girls as Category B. The schools will be listed that are in category A.”

“Sometime in November we will have an examination. Three delegates from each of the schools will come and converge and will write these exams. We will pick two persons out of it. Those two persons will be qualified to contest in the semi-finals. The semi-finals will be more like an oral quiz.”

“Then we will pick the champion of that category. Same thing we will do in category B. The star winner will be going home and smiling away with the whole sum of One Million Naira.”

According to the philanthropist, the winner of Category B (King/Queen of Mathematics Junior) will go home with the sum of N500,000; while the winner of Category A, who will become the next King or Queen of Mathematics will go home with the sum of N1,000,000. He or she will reign for one year as the Brand Ambassador of the competition and also be part of various social impact initiatives by the G30 Ibani Voice.

Incidentally, the 4th edition of the G30 Ibani Voice King/Queen of Mathematics Contest, which will hold during the 2021/2022 Academic Session, will be the first time a monetary prize is attached to the competition and also the first time the winner would become the Brand Ambassador of the competition.

Master Fubara Omubo of Community Secondary School, Burukiri was the first winner of the competition during the 2018/2019 Academic Session and has since then being part of developing the competition.

According to Dr Dan-Jumbo, the competing schools include Bonny National Grammar School, Bonny; Government Girls Secondary School, Finima (GGSSF), Community Secondary School (CSS), Abalamabie; Community Secondary School, Burukiri; Ibitamuno Secondary School, Spring Foundation School, King and Queens Secondary School, Heritage Academy, Lucille Education Centre (LEC), Logos School, among others.

He urged the students to go the extra mile to study and prepare for the competition, stressing that there will be no sentiments attached as the outcome of the competition will be based purely on merit, noting that the proof of their desire to win is in their pursuit of the prize money through diligent scholarship.

“That is why I said it is the big one. Come November/ December we will know who will be the winner. It is not enough to have a desire. Someone said the proof of desire is in the pursuit. If you truly desire it you are going to pursue it.”

In the delegation were the Secretary General of the G30 Ibani Voice, Godswill Hart; Media Focal Person for the group and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kristina Reports, Godswill Jumbo; and an elder in group, Dagogo Waribo.

Responding, the Principals of BNGS, Biebelemabo Apiafi; BNGS (UBE), Richard Jumbo; and GGSS, Finima (UBE), Lily Hart, thanked the G30 Ibani Voice, and Dr Fubara Dan-Jumbo, in particular for such unique initiative aimed at mainstreaming the educational aspirations of the youths, noting that such competition would reinvigorate the waning interest in Education, especially, Mathematics.

Highlight of the tour was the award of instant cash prizes of N10,000 each to Isoala Allison (BNGS-UBE), Priscilla Nwaike and Emmanuella Banigo (GGSS-UBE), Precious Udeme (GGSS), and Udekwe Caleb and Ojoamanam Chidiebere (BNGS) for answering random Mathematical questions during the tour.

The G30 Ibani Voice, a convergence of professionals of Bonny origin, has continued to drive the quest for social impact interventions in the Educational sector by hosting competitions, giving awards, donating educational resources, and supporting teachers in various schools in Bonny LGA.