" I Am Never Afraid Of Mathematics" —Queen of mathematics

Mathematics rising star, Titilayo Fasoro, 14, shares how she emerged winner in this year’s Maths competition organsied by the National Mathematical Centre, Abuja. She speaks to SAMUEL AWOYINFA

Fourteen-year-old Titilayo Fasoro, unlike some of her contemporaries, has never been afraid of Mathematics. In fact, she has always scored good grades in the subject right from her primary school days. According to her, the least she has scored in the subject is 80 per cent.

Therefore, for the SS1 pupil of Hallmark Secondary School in Ondo, Ondo State, her emergence as the champion in the just-concluded Nigerian Mathematics Olympiad for girls is the icing on the cake.

She said, “I have always loved Mathematics from primary school. My school, Hallmark, organises extra lessons for pupils. I was also specially tutored in preparation for different stages of the National Mathematics Competition by the Mathematics teachers in my school.”

According to the budding mathematician, candidates from across the 36 states participated in the competition.

Prior to her emergence at the national level, she scaled through three other stages in the competition triumphantly. The three stages, she said, were at the local government, zonal and the state levels.

Fasoro, crowned the Mathematics Queen by wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, declared that she has never experienced figure phobia. She handles every Mathematics test or problem with the same level of attention, even though she gets support from her teachers.

The youngster, who took home N100,000 and a scholarship valued at N3m, said she felt on top of the world when she was announced as the best female Mathematics pupil in the country.

She added, “I felt very happy and excited, more so when the Education Minister, Prof. Ruqquayat Rufa’i, and other dignitaries witnessed the event.”

Advising her colleagues still struggling with Mathematics, Titilayo, the third in a family of six children, said Mathematics was just like any other subject.

She added, “They should work harder and not be afraid of Mathematics, because it is not a no–go–area. They should also remember that in the kingdom of Mathematics, all other subjects are subjects. Any pupil can pass it easily if he/she puts his/her heart to it.”

An apostle of sharing knowledge, especially Mathematics knowledge, Titlayo noted that she discussed ideas freely with her colleagues.

According to her, a knowledge shared is one’s contribution to development of the society in whatever area of life.

She explained, “I am not the only one good in Mathematics; there are a number of others. But I thank God for giving me grace and favour. Based on this, I have always assisted some of my colleagues who are struggling with the subject by breaking down the equations for them.

“And I let them know that nobody was born with Mathematics written on his or her forehead. We are all learning and by learning, we improve.”

According to her chartered accountant father and Quantity Surveyor mother, the young Fasoro has been exhibiting brilliance in Mathematics from her formative years in school

Her father said, “She has always been among the top three in Mathematics in her class right from primary school.”

Are there some qualities which differentiate her from their other children? The father stated that every child was unique in his or her own way.

He, however, noted, “She has always been a reserved and studious child — the type that would stay in a spot for hours just reading.”

On the feat, the NMC Director-General, Prof. Adewale Solarin, said with her likes, Nigeria would win this year’s African Mathematics Queen.