Education
Rivers Takes 3 Spots in Finals of 2017 Cowbellpedia Maths Contest
By Dipo Olowookere
Three representatives were produced by Rivers State at the end of the third and last semi-final last weekend in the finals of the 2017 Cowbellpedia Secondary School Mathematics Television Quiz Show sponsored by Cowbell, the flagship brand from Promasidor Nigeria Limited.
Representing Rivers State are Osasere Egharevba and Jessey Uche-Nwichi, both of Graceland International School, Port Harcourt and Olufemi Adeyanju of Jesuit Memorial College, Port Harcourt. They will all contest for the 2017 junior champion title, along with three other finalists.
Rivers State was followed by Ogun State, represented by Oluwanifise Onafowokan of The Ambassador College, Ota, who will battle it out in the senior category, while Ezekiel Ekanem of Advanced Breed Group of School, Sagamu will challenge for the junior title.
Benue, Osun, Abia, Kaduna, Ondo, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja all have one representative each.
In the junior category of the last semi-final, Joel Ndoh of Marist Brothers Juniorate, Aba, Abia State; Olayinka Abdulwakil of Nigerian Tulip International College Kaduna, Kaduna State and Greatman Nwachukwu of Dority International Secondary School, Aba, Abia State got to the second round. But Nwachukwu lost the contest to give Ndoh and Abdulwakil a chance in the final.
Other contestants who exited the show that same day were Hezekiah Ilesanmi of Bibo Oluwa Academy, Ilesha, Osun State; Joseph Agom of Top Faith International Secondary School, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and Fuad Alaka of Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba, Lagos, who had a perfect score in the qualifying examination.
Abdulwakil shared his relief to be in the finals and stated that his ultimate goal is to win and become the 2017 Cowbellpedia champion
Ndoh, a first-time participant in the competition also prayed for God’s guidance in his journey to becoming the champion.
Ikechukwu Ibeh of Federal Government College, Suleja, Niger State and Evans Owamoyo of Greater Tomorrow International College, Arigidi Akoko, Ondo State emerged straight winners in the Senior category after dusting Favour Abusomwan of Iganmode Grammar School (Senior) Ota, Ogun State in the second round.
Other contestants who lost out in the first round are, Franklin Ezenduka of College of Immaculate Conception, Uwani, Enugu State; Favour Ajibola of Model Secondary School, Akure, Ondo State and Emmanuel Mebude of Ogunlade Secondary School, Surulere, Lagos who had earlier set a new record by answering 17 questions in 60 seconds.
The senior and junior category winners will get N1 million each and an 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 each 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 other six television stations across the country.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 61.54 per cent of candidates obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr Amos Dangut, announced the results at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.
Mr Dangut said 1,200,514 candidates met the benchmark for admission to higher institutions, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination nationwide, held between April 24 and June 19.
He said 102,708 examiners were engaged in the marking exercise held at 88 marking venues across the country between 2 July and 20 July.
“Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates who sat the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026 in Nigeria,” he said, directing candidates to the agency’s portal to access their results.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at waec.org and check your results now on waecdirect.org,” the examination body said, noting that candidates must obtain their Serial Number and PIN before they can check their results.
To generate the required credentials, candidates are expected to visit WAEC’s official website and select the “Serial Number and PIN” option at the top of the page.
They are then required to select the appropriate examination year and diet, enter their examination number and National Identification Number (NIN), and ensure that the NIN provided is the same one used during registration for the examination.
Candidates must also provide their email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
After entering the OTP, candidates can recover their Serial Number and PIN, which they can subsequently use to check their results through WAEC Direct.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes, the Obajana Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has distributed some educational materials to some pupils in Kogi State.
The items shared to the beneficiaries included school bags, exercise books, writing materials, water bottles, and other essential learning aids aimed at enhancing the learning experience of the pupils and preparing them for the next academic session.
The General Manager for the Social Performance Department of Dangote Cement at Obajana Plant, Mr Ademola Adeyemi, said the materials were donated days after Dangote Cement distributed similar education materials to pupils in public schools in its catchment communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Obajana and Apata; and commissioned a multi-million-naira hospital in Obajana, which added to the growing list of social investments that includes an earlier hospital project in Iwaa and Oyo Communities.
He noted that, over the years, the company has invested billions of naira in a wide range of social programmes for host communities, including empowerment programmes, road construction, and potable water projects, and it remains resolute in its commitment to sustaining and expanding its interventions.
He noted that the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes are aligned with government development priorities and are implemented through sustained, mutually beneficial partnerships.
“The intervention was informed by findings from a needs assessment conducted by Dangote Cement. During the assessment, it was observed that several pupils attended school without school bags, while others carried their books by hand. It was also discovered that many students lacked essential learning materials such as exercise books, pens, pencils, and other basic learning materials,” the cement firm said.
The Head Teacher of UBE LGEA School, St. Luke Model II, Adankolo, Lokoja Local Government Area, Mr Abubakar Sanni, expressed profound appreciation to the management of Dangote Cement for the gesture.
The Head Teacher expressed gratitude to the Group President of the conglomerate, Aliko Dangote, for extending the company’s educational support programme beyond its host and impacted communities to schools located at the state headquarters.
The beneficiaries, school management, parents, and community stakeholders expressed gratitude to Dangote Cement for the timely intervention and prayed for the continued growth and success of the company in its efforts to improve lives and support sustainable community development.
