A final year
student of the Department of Mathematics, University of Lagos, Jeremiah
Adedoyin, has emerged the overall winner of the 2019 National Mathematics
Competition.
student of the Department of Mathematics, University of Lagos, Jeremiah
Adedoyin, has emerged the overall winner of the 2019 National Mathematics
Competition.
The competition, organised by the National Mathematical
Centre, was for university students across the country.
The competition, which started on April 28, featured 80
contestants from 20 universities and 40 contestants won bronze, silver and gold
medals.
Prof. Stephen Onah, the Chief Executive/Director, NMC, at the
closing ceremony on Friday, congratulated Adedoyin for his outstanding
performance.
Onah told other contestants: “In every contest, there must be
a winner and a loser, but know that you are the best in your various institutions.”
He urged them to positively showcase the centre in their
interactions, adding: “Also use knowledge gained to better the society.
“If there is anything you have benefited from this programme,
do well to tell others, portray us in good light so that more persons can come
to get similar experience.”
The director, however, explained that the contest was aimed
at identifying the best students in mathematics in the country and to assist
them to develop in their future endeavours.
“This contest also helps us to identify the departments in
our Nigerian university system that are outstanding in the teaching and
learning of mathematics, such that we will be able to recommend them even to
the outside world,” Onah said.
He also said the contest was not restricted to public
universities, but open to all universities and urged universities that had not
participated in the contest to do so.
He said through the programme, the centre would be able to
identify their challenges and provide solutions to them.
“So we are encouraging those universities to identify with us
so that they will be able to understand their weaknesses and improve on them,”
he said.
Also, Prof. Peter Onumanyi, Coordinator, Mathematics
Programme of the centre, said the aim of the programme was to groom the future
mathematicians from their young age.
Onumanyi, therefore, appreciated the participants for their
commitment to the programme and urged them to continue to work hard.
The best mathematician of the year, Adedoyin, who is also
President of his Department, attributed his victory to determination and
hard-work.
He said: “I thank God for my victory.
“I didn’t know I will be the winner of this contest.
“But I just set up my mind that I’m going for gold and
nothing less.”
