Teachers In Hot Battle For Cowbell Prize

 

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

As Promasidor Nigeria Limited, maker of Cowbell Milk” celebrated Nigerian teachers with a  special edition of Cowbellpedia Mathematics Television Quiz Show to mark the 2016 World Teachers Day, emotion ran high at the special Teacher’s edition show aired last weekend.

Mr. Isaac Oyegbile of Hallmark Secondary School, Ondo, Ondo State beat his former Mathematics teacher, Mr. Peter Olayiwola Oyewole to win the 2016 Cowbellpedia Mathematics Teachers’ edition (Senior Category).

Olayiwola, a teacher from Adeyemi College of Education Demonstration Secondary School, Ondo, Ondo State, described Oyegbile as a very intelligent, humble and listening student when he taught him Mathematics in Oyo many years ago.

He maintained that Oyegbile’s success is rather a success for him and a testimony of the fruit of his labour.

“I feel great, there is nothing to be worried or embarrassed about. The father of the King is also a King. It is a great day for me. I am very happy deep inside my heart,” he told journalists.

Olayiwola who has been teaching Mathematics in the last 35 years, is also the teacher of Master Ayodele Akinkuowo, who won the Cowbellpedia Mathematics Quiz Show in the Senior category last year.

Oyegbile, who said he fell in love with Mathematics at the age of three, described Olayiwola as a great teacher and motivator who structured his vision as a young man. He expressed appreciation to the organisers and sponsors of the event, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of “Cowbell, our milk,” for making him an “instant celebrity.”

The competition featured 12 teachers who piloted their students to the finals of the 2015 edition of the Cowbellpedia Mathematics Quiz Show. On the ‘battle field’ during the special edition of the quiz apart from Olayiwola, were George Ogbu of Emilis Academy, Calabar, Cross River State; Fatai Babalola of Ota Total Academy, Ota, Ogun State; Enobong Akpan of Top Faith International Secondary School, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State; and Osemwegie Williams of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja.

In the Junior category of the Teachers’ edition, Daramola Joseph Oluwaseun of Dansol High School, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos State saw off competition from Morufu Ajibilu of Providence High School, Iju-Agege, Lagos State; Bamigbola Oluwatobi of Scholars Universal College, Ota, Ogun State; Adeolu Comfort Bosede of Greater Tomorrow College, Arigidi-Akoko, Ondo State; Fasotito Femi Johnson of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja; and Adewuyi Muyideen Lanre, also of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja.

Daramola, who said he was very excited and happy to wear the crown, maintained that the victory has given him the opportunity to appreciate the efforts of his students more.

 

In 1994, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO proclaimed 5 October to be World Teachers’ Day, to celebrate the great step made for teachers on 5 October 1966, when a special intergovernmental conference convened by UNESCO in Paris adopted the UNESCO/ILO recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, in cooperation with the International Labour Organsation.

In the last 18 years, Promasidor has been involved in education development programmes, especially the sponsorship of Mathematics competition in Secondary Schools in Nigeria.

The objectives, according to the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Olivier Thiry, have been to awaken the consciousness and interest in mathematics among Junior and Senior secondary school students in Nigeria; and to improve students’ performance in Mathematics Pan Nigeria.

These were reiterated during the press briefing marking the commencement of the 2016 Cowbellpedia Secondary School Mathematics TV Quiz competition in March, 2016.

Thiry also informed that the company significantly increased the prize money for the finals for both students and teachers. This year, the teacher of the top prize student winner will be awarded N400, 000 with teachers of 1^st runner-up and 2^nd runner-up will go home with N300,000 and N200,000 respectively for both categories.

Also, teachers of Top 3 students at state level are given cash rewards. This is to encourage these unsung heroes that their rewards are not only in heaven but from this world too.

The students will come back to the ‘ring’ next week as the semi-finals of the Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics TV Quiz Show commences where 12 finalists will emerge in the senior and junior category from the current 36 semi-finalists.

The ultimate prize for this year’s edition is N1 million and an all-expense paid educational excursion outside the country. The teacher of the winning students will receive N400,000.