Nine-year-old Enwere Kingsley Ikenna of Cuddy Kids School, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos has emerged overall winner of the 16th Annual National Mathematics Competition (ANMC).
The competition which was organised by National Mathematical Centre and Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) Abuja, in Partnership with the National Mathematical Center, NMC Abuja was to reward hard work for pupils who devoted time to surmount the phobia associated with mathematics.
The Nigerian Tulip International Colleges, NTIC declared the winners of the 16th Annual National Mathematics Competition (ANMC) on Thursday, April 4, 2019.
Ikenna defeated 39,518 candidates who participated in the second round of the competition in the 36 states of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory with a high score of 98.85%.
The Cuddly kids Amuwo-Odofin student won an all paid full scholarship with a 300,000 cash prize , his teacher His teacher, Mr Kehinde Mukadas, gets N200,000 while the school will get a digital printer and desktop.
Ikenna, second child of a family of five, said he had previously participated in some competitions at some stages in life adding that this was the first time he was emerging a winner.
He said he worked very hard, studied relentlessly and put in all efforts to win the competition. The mathematics winner said his parents, together, were a formidable force that always pushed him to work hard and concentrate fully on his studies.
“The only challenges I had in the course of my preparation were distractions and fear, but my teacher was able to help me overcome them,” he said.
Ikenna urged other Nigerian students not to rest on their oars and not be discouraged whenever they failed but to keep trying till they succeeded.
His teacher, Mukadas, expressed joy that his student came first among other geniuses who participated in the competition.
“I am excited because of the performance of my pupil and I believe it will open doors for him to greater heights and also give me recommendation for promotion or opportunity,” he said.
Mr Ercan Yilmaz, Principal, NTIC, Ogun Chapter, confirmed Ikenna’s reward and added
“This is certainly a display of academic commitment par excellence which NTIC as a school that rewards hard work would not be tired of doing.
“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 more than amply rewarded,” he said.
The principal noted that over the years, the competition had been further strengthened and improved in quality, quantity and the spread of participation.
Not too long, Enwere Kingsley Ikenna also emerged second 2019 edition of The Ultimate Mathematics Ambassador (TUMA) competition where he bagged N300,000 cash prize also.
Pupils who emerged winners from second to seventh position would also get full scholarship from the college while winners from eighth to the twelfth position would get 100 per cent scholarship on tuition, among other prizes.