Master Abdulsamad Abdulganiyu of Federal Government College, Suleja, Niger State has revealed his desire to become a great Mathematician in the mold of the late Professor of Mathematics, Chike Obi. He described Obi as
 a great role model that shaped his interest and love for Mathematics.


Obi (April 17, 1921 – March 13, 2008) was a Nigerian politician, mathematician and professor. The African Mathematics Union maintained that he was the first sub-Saharan African to hold a doctorate in mathematics.

In 1997, through pure brainwork and without the use of modern computer, the globally-acclaimed Nigerian mathematician and academic, Obi claimed to have found an elementary proof to the mystery of a 361- year old mathematical puzzle known as Fermat’s Last Theorem.

The theorem, well known among scientists down the ages, was pioneered by the great 17th Century French mathematician, Pierre de Fermat. It stated that equation xn+yn=zn; where x,y,z and n are positive integers, has no solution if n is greater than 2. Obi’s seminal work carried out at his Nanna Institute for Scientific Studies in Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria, gave the world an elementary solution to the ancient mathematical problem.

“My uncle who works in Abuja told me about this great man, and I searched the web for more information on him. I admire his brilliance and since then, I have been dreaming to be like him. That is why I devote more time and energy to Mathematics. My dream is to be the Chike Obi of this generation,” he said.

Abdulganiyu who scored 87 per cent in the qualifying examination to represent his state, entered the preliminary ‘battle’ against Akinola Adebisi of Bibo Oluwa Academy, Ilesa, Osun State; Nator Verinumbe of ECWA Secondary School, Makurdi, Benue State; Stephen Ejembi of Blue Crescent School, Sokoto, Sokoto State; Ayoola Oguntade and Blessing Udoh of The Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State.

The 16-year-old SS 2 student also has his eyes on the ultimate prize promise to put in all the best to get the crown.
The ultimate prize for this year’s edition is One million naira and an all-expense paid educational excursion outside the country. The teacher of the winning students will receive Four hundred thousand naira.

Promasidor has also promised that the first and the second runners-up will go home with N750, 000 and N500, 000 respectively. There will also be plaques, mathematics textbooks and a desktop computer for the winners.

The airing of the programme continues this weekend; AIT Network on Saturday, 7. 00p.m; NTA Onitsha, Sunday, 5. 00p.m; STV Jos, Sunday, 5.00 p.m.; NTA Kano, Saturday, 2.00 p.m.; and DSTV Channel 154 on Saturday, 9.00 p.m.

In the 2015 edition, Ayodeji Akinkuowo of Adeyemi Demonstration College, Ondo won in the senior category while Munachi Ernest-Eze of Loyola Jesuit, Abuja won in the junior category.