Faith Odunsi: A Mathematician Par Excellence

In March 2021, Faith Odunsi, a young mathematician won the Global Open Mathematics Tournament. She defeated other participants from other continents, bagging the $1,000 prize for the competition. The brilliant champ did not just make herself, family, or school proud, she also made the entire nation proud.

Who is Faith Odunsi?

Odunsi is a 16-year-old ambassador of The Ambassadors Schools, Ota, Ogun State. She was in SS3 when she won the global mathematics competition. She is from Ijebu, Ogun State and her parents support her in all competitions. Meanwhile, she got her mathematical skills from her father, who is a medical doctor. Mathematics and Information and Communications Technology are her favourite subjects.

Other competitions

In 2018, she wowed Nigerians after she answered 19 questions in 30 seconds at the Cowbellpedia Mathematics Competition. She was a participant in the Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad where she received a silver medal. Also, she took part in the South African Mathematics Olympiad, among others.

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Goals

In an interview with Punch, Odunsi said, “I want to study Computer Engineering. I would like to study outside Nigeria because the facilities are better abroad and the experience is better. However, I don’t think I will be limited in Nigeria. I just think the opportunities will be better abroad.”

Accolades

Music producer, Michael Ajere, popularly known as Don Jazzy, acknowledged the achievements of Odunsi. He tweeted, “Congratulations Faith! Seeing this reminds me of how I struggled with Maths in Ijanikin! Lol. Will you like to spend a day with the amazing people at Mavin? Maybe you can also teach me some Maths when you come. Help me find Faith.”

Africa Global Gateway tweeted, “We celebrate 15 year old Mathematics genius, Faith Odunsi, for winning the Global Open Math Competition. She hails all the way from Nigeria and has made the country and continent very proud!”

Aneta Felix wrote, “All hail the mathematical genius, Faith Odunsi.” Stephen Ishado said, “No matter how black people tend to paint Nigeria, I always know Nigerians got more good to offer the world than the bad they seem to always expect. Congratulations, Faith Odunsi.”

German-Dutch diarist, Anne Frank once said, “Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is.”

Odunsi is a piece of good news who has placed her name on the world map. Her achievements have not gone unnoticed as she is still being celebrated, a year after winning the prestigious global mathematics competition. A mathematician par excellence she is, truly.