Ota may become Nigeria’s Silicon Valley
* As Ogun School produces winners Of 2016 Cowbellpedia competition
Very soon, Ota, a small town in Ogun State will become Nigeria’s Silicon Valley. The town has produced many young mathematicians, courtesy of Promasidor’s CSR Initiative to promote love for Mathematics among school children.
This year, the tradition was sustained as the Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State, produced the winners of both Junior and Senior categories of the 2016 Cowbellpedia Mathematics Competition finale which took place at the weekend.
Juliet Ekoko of Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State, won the Junior category of the competition while her school mate, while Ayoola Oguntade, won the Senior category. Both winners went home with N1 million each and an all-expense paid education excursion abroad.
Juliet who beat other finalists; Glory Okoli and Oreofe Daniels of The Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State; Oluwafunmbi Fakorede of Bibo Oluwa Academy, Ilesa, Osun State; Dennis Balogun of Greater Tomorrow International College, Arigidi-Akoko, Ondo State and Oluwatunmise Idowu of Scholars Universal Academy, Ota, Ogun State to emerge tops survived three eliminations on the road to the final.
The mother of the 12-year old mathematician, Mrs Funmi Ekoko, ascribed her ward’s exceptional performance to diligence.
Ayooluwa who is the Head Boy at school beat his schoolmates, Blessing Udoh and Taiwo Adeyemi; Adegoke Aromolaran of Bibo Oluwa Academy, Ilesa, Osun State; Hasanah Adeyanju and Ademola Fatoke of Ota Total Academy, Ota, Ogun State to become the ultimate winner. The young man who aspires to study Engineering in the university ascribed his success to God and dedication of his teachers.
“The top CEOs I read about studied engineering and run their companies. I also want to have an engineering degree and run my own company,” he said of his aspirations.
In his welcome address, the Managing Director of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Olivier Thiry, who saluted the finalists for their excellent performance, reiterated the commitment of the company to education.
According to him, education is the most important investment for the future of the children of Nigeria as it allows them greater power to make informed choices.
Thiry assured that Promasidor would continue to support the academic development of Nigerian children.
Also speaking, the Head of Marketing, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Festus Tettey , while applauding the quality of this year’s competition said that the company would come up with more innovative ideas to make the competition better.
The Registrar of the National Examination Council, NECO, Professor Charles Uwakwe commended Promasidor for the Cowbellpedia initiative which he said would stimulate the interest of students in Mathematics.
Schools in Ota, Ogun State, have produced winners in the Promasidor-sponsored competition five times out of the 14 editions of the competition which became a national event in 2001. It would be recalled that Igamode Grammar School in Ota, Ogun State produced winners of the Cowbell National Secondary School Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC) for three times in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Ota Academyalso produced the winner in 2014. This year, the Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State achieved the feat of producing winners of both Junior and Senior categories of the 2016.
