How 9-year-old is demystifying Mathematics •Kid prodigy wins N6m scholarship
October 22, 2015
Written by: 
Laolu Harolds


Professor Peter Onumanyi, the representative of Professor Adewale Solarin of the National Mathematical Centre, Abuja presenting Morufat Lawal with a trophy
WHO says nothing good can come ‘out of Nazareth’? A. D. S. Primary School, Fiditi, Oyo State, may just be one of those obscure public schools, but not anymore – thanks to this kid prodigy, Morufat Yetunde Lawal, who through her sheer brilliance is bringing her school into national prominence, and making a name for herself.
 
No doubt, nine-year-old Morufat is working her way to the top.
 
Currently in Primary 4, Morufat has won several awards of excellence in Mathematics, competing with others well ahead of her in age and academic level.
 
In 2014, Morufat became the first pupil in primary three and in a public school to represent Oyo State at the national level of the prestigious national Mathematics Olympiad organised by the Mathematical Association of Nigeria (MAN).
 
She had been selected to represent her school (A.D.S Primary School, Fiditi) at the local level of the competition. She trounced over 40 other contestants to qualify to represent her local government (Afijio) at the zonal in level.
 
The zonal stage involved 12 winners from four local governments (Afijio, Atiba, Oyo East and Oyo West). Morufat still came tops, despite being in primary three.
 
At the state level of the competition, held at the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, she competed with 23 others, who were winners at the respective zones, and came third and was primed to represent Oyo State at the national edition hosted by the University of Ilorin. Here, she was paired with another pupil for the quiz category. The duo came first, beating 40 contestants from other states. She was presented with a cash gift.
 
In December last year, Morufat, as a primary four pupil, again represented Oyo State in Abuja in a JETS competition organised by the Federal Ministry of Education. She took the first prize to the amazement of guests at the event when she was announced as a public school primary four pupil.
 
Also in January 2015, Morufat defeated many other participants to win a Mathematics competition organised by a school – International College of Arts, Science ad Technology (ICAST), Ibadan, sponsored by Sterling Bank Plc.
 
For the 2015 edition of the MAN Olympiad, she effortlessly repeated the 2014 feat at every stage of the competition till the national level hosted by the University of Nigeria (UNN), Enugu campus between August 30 and September 4. Morufat contested with over 50 other state champions and came third.
 
For her brilliant performance, she was awarded a N6 million scholarship by the National Mathematical Centre (NMC), Abuja. Morufat will have her secondary education at the International Model Science Academy, Abuja – a school run by the NMC.
 
Little Morufat has, indeed, proved that the unimpressive infrastructure in public schools notwithstanding, with a good dose of determination, champions can emerge from ‘backstage schools’.

Hope haters of religion in ministry of education will not expel her from school because of het hijab.

That's a pride from my Alma Mata........

Wow! I'm proud of her