Ogun to honour Maths genius, Faith Odunsi, 33 other laureates, institutions today

The Ogun State Government is set, today, to honour the 15-year-old student of Ambassadors School, Ota, Miss Faith Adesewa Odunsi, who, last month, won the Global Open Mathematics competition.

Odunsi, who emerged the winner of the global tourney by 30 clear points ahead of opponents from China, the United States (U.S.), Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), South Africa and Germany, first won the hearts of many in 2018 when she set a record in the Cowbellpedia Mathematics Competition by answering 19 questions in 60 seconds.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Kunle Somorin, said also to be honoured were other indigenes of the state that have won academic laurels in different fields. They include Mr. Olasunkanmi Opeifa, Mrs. Oluyemisi Oladejo and Mr. Olalekan Adeeko.

Opeifa, one of the 10 finalists for 2020 Global Teacher Prize, teaches English Language at Government Day Secondary School, Karu-Abuja, but hails from Igbogila in Yewa North Local Council. Oladejo, a teacher with Oronna High School, Ilaro, is the first prize-winner for the 2020 African Writer’s Award, while Adeeko from Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta, won the 2020 African Union Continental Teacher Prize.

Also to be recognised are Tijani Fatimo of Abeokuta Grammar School; Oguntade Treasure of Molusi College, Ijebu-Igbo and Okusanya Jesutofunmi from Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu-Ode who won the first, second and third prizes respectively at the National Mathematics Olympiad of the National Mathematical Centre in Abuja.

The rest are winners of the Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists (JETS); Awards of Excellence in Leadership and Productivity; President’s Teachers’ Excellence Awards students and institutions of higher learning that have excelled in different spheres.

The event, which will take place at Obas’ Complex inside the State Secretariat at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, will be witnessed by Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who will join virtually from Abuja.

The statement said the government would always identify with excellence in conduct and academic endeavours.

“To encourage deep thinking and creative genius inherent in the people of Ogun State, the government shall continue to nurture and encourage any indigene of the state with demonstrated ability to perform, achieve, and/or excel in scholastic activities.

“No stone will be left unturned to identify high achieving and exceptionally creative young persons with superior acumen, craft and performance. We will give them recognition because that is the only way to speed up and maximise the development of their intellectual capacities and skills to deploy such in service of our common humanity,” the statement stated.