A final year student of Department of Mathematics, University of Lagos, Jeremiah Adedoyin, has emerged the overall winner of the 2019 National Mathematics Competition.

The competition, organised by the National Mathematical Centre (NMC), was for university students across the country.

The competition which started on April 28 featured 80 contestants from 20 universities and 40 contestants won bronze, silver and gold medals.

Prof. Stephen Onah, the Chief Executive/Director, NMC at the closing ceremony on Friday, congratulated Adedoyin for his outstanding performance.

He told other contestants that “in every contest there must be a winner and a loser, but know that you are the best in your various institutions”.

He urged them to positively showcase the centre in their interactions, saying “also use knowledge gained to better the society.

“If there is anything you have benefited from this programme, do well to tell others, portray us in good light so that more persons can come to get similar experience.”

The director, however, explained that the contest was aimed at identifying the best students in mathematics in the country and to assist them to develop in their future endeavours.

“This contest also helps us to identify the departments in our Nigerian university system that are outstanding in the teaching and learning of mathematics, such that we will be able to recommend them even to the outside world,” he said.

He also said that the contest was not restricted to public universities, but open to all universities and urged universities that had not participated in the contest to do so.

He said that through the programme, the centre would be able to identify their challenges and provide solutions to them.

“So we are encouraging those universities to identify with us so that they will be able to understand their weaknesses and improve on them,” he said.

Also, Prof. Peter Onumanyi, Coordinator, Mathematics Programme of the centre said that the aim of the programme was to groom the future mathematicians from their young age.

He, therefore, appreciated the participants for their commitment to the programme and urged them to continue to work hard.

The best mathematician of the year, Adedoyin, who is also President of his Department, attributed his victory to determination and hard work.

“I thank God for my victory, I didn’t know I will be the winner of this contest. But I just set up my mind that I’m going for gold and nothing less,” he said. (NAN)

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