Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Lagos State stood out brilliantly, grabbing two more semi-final tickets at the on-going 2017 Cowbellpedia Secondary School Mathematics Television Quiz Show sponsored by Cowbell, the flagship brand from Promasidor Nigeria Limited.
In the Group 7 preliminary contest last weekend, Fuad Alaka of Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba and Oluwatade Akinjide of the Learning Field Schools, Satellite Town moved the state ahead in the Junior and Senior categories respectively.
Earlier in the Group 4 preliminary round, Emmanuel Mebude of Ogunlade Secondary School, Surulere had secured the first semi-final slot for the state.
In a keenly contested session in the Junior category, Alaka and Ibrahim Jajere of Nigerian Tulip International College, Damaturu, Yobe State survived the stiff challenge from Ilerioluwakiiye Abolade of Skyward Mega High School, Ibadan, Oyo State; Oyintomiwa Oni of African International College, Abuja and Falmata Ibrahim of Elkanemi Schools, Maiduguri, Borno State.
Thirteen-year-old Alaka, who got a perfect score in the qualifying examination conducted in March 2017, was excited qualifying for the semi-final.
“It has been a good experience for me so far and I am very grateful to Cowbell and Promasidor for this huge opportunity.
“My expectation is to come out as the best, but I will accept whatever comes as the will of God,” he told newsmen outside the studio in Lagos last week.
In the senior category, Akinjide and Evans Owamoyoof Greater Tomorrow International College, Arigidi-Akoko, Ondo State scaled the hurdles into the semi-finals.
The duo outperformed Olalekan Abdullateef of Vanguard Academy, Abeokuta, Ogun Sate; Uchechukwu Ezedimora of Graceland International School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State; Kadiri Eshiovaze of Gloryland Secondary School, Igarra, Edo State and Haruna Abba of Science Secondary School, Kafin Hausa, Bauchi State.
Akinjide, who is participating in the competition for the first time, described the experience as “nice and exciting.”
“My focus is on the final and the ultimate prize. This has been my dream and my expectation. If I win, I will give part of the money to the church and the rest to my parents,” he said
The 16-year-old Senior Secondary School student, who scored 95 per cent in the qualifying examination conducted in March 2017, aspires to become a Petroleum Engineer.
On his part, Owamoyo who got to the final in the junior category of the 2015 edition, hopes to win this year. Like Akinjide, he promised to give his prize money to his church and his parents. “I really thank God for surviving the initial nervousness to qualify for this stage.
The ultimate prize in the Senior and Junior categories is N1 million each and all-expense-paid educational excursion outside the country. The first and second runners-up for each category will go home with N750,000 and N500,000 respectively.
Each teacher of the 2017 champions will be awarded N400,000, while those of the first and second runners-up will receive N300,000 and N200,000 respectively. Also, the winning schools will be rewarded with mathematics textbooks, desktop computers and printers.
The 2017 Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematic TV Quiz continues this weekend. It will be aired to millions of viewers on DStv Africa Magic Family Channel, AIT Network and six other television stations across the country.
