By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Contestants representing Osun and Lagos States have moved on to the semi-finals of the on-going 2017 Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics TV Quiz Show sponsored by Cowbell, the flagship brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited.
In the fourth preliminary stage contest last weekend, Hezekiah Ilesanmi of Bibo Oluwa Academy, Osun State moved onward to the semi-finals of the Junior category, while Emmanuel Mebude of Ogunlade Secondary School, Surulere put Lagos State up in the Senior category.
Ilesanmi and Ayomiposi Adeleye of Federal Government College, Suleja, Niger State, finished ahead of Cynthia Monyei of Good Shepherd Comprehensive High School, Meiran, Lagos State; Oyeyemi Olorunkoya of Deeper Life High School, Mowe, Ogun State; David Nwobi of Faith Academy, Lokoja, Kogi State and Abdulbasit Abdulrazak of Command Day Secondary School, Bauchi, Bauchi State.
Ilesanmi, 13, who is participating in the competition for the first time, was excited and described his experience as “very good and interesting.”
The Junior Secondary School student, who scored 98 percent in the qualifying examinations, said he had his sight on the ultimate prize. “I am very happy that I have crossed this hurdle, but my expectation is to win at the finals. I am looking forward to that great moment,” he said.
In the Senior category, Mebude and Munachi Ernest-Eze of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja eliminated Oghenekvwe Agbadudu of University Preparatory Secondary School, Benin City, Edo State; Taiwo Gbadamosi of Oritamefa Baptist Model College, Ibadan, Oyo State; Florence Izekwe of Twelve Apostles College, Sharon, Ebonyi State and Shuab Abdullahi of Nigerian Tulip International College, Yobe, Yobe State.
Mebude, who answered 16 questions in the Cowbellpedia 60 seconds of Fame segment of the show, described Mathematics as his easiest subject. He aspires to be a mechanical engineer to invent what he called a “unique car for Nigeria.”
The 15-year-old also expressed huge confidence in his ability to emerge champion in the Senior category of this year’s edition.
An all-expense paid educational excursion outside the country and One Million Naira is the ultimate prize for this year’s winners in both the Junior and Senior categories, while the first and second runners-up in each category will go home with Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira and Five Hundred Thousand Naira respectively.
The teachers of the 2017 champions will be awarded Four Hundred Thousand Naira each, while those of the first and second runners-up will receive Three Hundred Thousand Naira and Two Hundred Thousand Naira respectively. The winning schools will be rewarded with Mathematics textbooks, desktop computers and printers.
The 2017 Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics TV Quiz Show continues this weekend and will be aired to millions of viewers on DSTV Africa Magic Family channel, Africa Independent Television (AIT) Network and other six television stations across the country.
Dipo Olowookere