Oluwatunmise Idowu: 14-year-old Maths Whiz Kid
Oluwatunmise Idowu is a 14-year-old student of Scholars Universal Secondary School, Ota, Ogun State. She became famous in 2016, when she broke the record in the Cowbellpedia Mathematics Television.
In 2015, Ayodeji Akinkuowo of Adeyemi Demonstration College, Ondo State had set the record by answering 15 questions in 60 seconds.
Idowu, the daughter of a Mathematics teacher, slugged it out in Group B with Ayomide Nafisat Abdulwaheed, a JSS 3 female student of Reality High School, Osogbo, Osun State; Olajide Osoba of Atlantic Hall, Epe, Lagos State; Edidiong Okon of Topfaith International Secondary School, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State; Charles Adesoba of Petoa City College, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State and Vanessa Ibol of NOWA Secondary School, New Kashi, Nassarawa State.
Osoba, the only male contestant in the group crashed out after the first round to pave way for an all-female encounter in the second round. This involved a test of contestants’ speed and accuracy, as they were required to answer as many questions as possible in 60 seconds.
Idowu in a ‘battle’ with Abduwaheed and Okon, eventually answered 17 questions in 60 Seconds to beat the record of 15/60 seconds set in 2015 by Ayodeji Akinkuowo of Adeyemi.
Akinkuowo eventually won the competition. She scored 145 points, 35 points ahead of Okon and 40 points ahead of Abduwaheed who eventually crashed out at this stage.
Idowu, who said she spends four hours practising Mathematics every day, also hopes to win the crown this year.
She said: “I want to win. My parents want me to win, just like my school also wants me to come out victorious.”
She is confident of her ability and hoping to maintain the current momentum till the final.
“Winning the crown will be the greatest gift I want from God this year. Apart from the N1m prize, the honour it will accord me in my school and among my friends will be inestimable. I can’t wait for the glorious moment. I pray for God’s favour,” she said.
The airing of the programme continues this weekend on both cable and local stations.
Promasidor Nigeria Limited has been lauded for investing in this initiative, which is aimed at discovering and celebrating young scientists and inventors in the country.
In the 2015 edition, students of Adeyemi Demonstration Secondary School, Ondo, Ondo State and Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja emerged winners.
Taiwo Adeyemi’s father said she is resolute and has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.
“ She is our teacher at home. Her Maths teacher is surprised about her prowess in the subject because most of the times, she always reads novels.
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