By Ignatius Okorocha

Inside Junior Secondary School Kurudu on Saturday, June 20th 2026, the tension was not from an exam hall but from a countdown timer. 204 students from 19 schools tapped at computer keyboards, solving problems that would decide the 16 finalists of the second Young Champions of Mathematics competition.

At the center of it all stood Joshua Gum Alom, convener of YCOM. A mathematics educator himself, Alom started the initiative with one goal: kill the fear.

“Some students have phobia for mathematics as a subject. Some students don’t like mathematics,” Alom said. “And the fact is that mathematics is applied in all aspects of life and in our everyday life. Whatever we do, mathematics is applied.”

*From 113 Students to 204: Building on Year One*

YCOM began the journey in 2025. The first edition drew 113 students from 16 schools. “It came out very successful,” Alom recalled. That success pushed the team into a second edition this year.

“We held the grand finale on Saturday, June 20th 2026 at Junior Secondary School Kurudu. At the event about 19 schools participated at the second edition out of which we had 204 students in attendance from all the schools. Out of the number, 16 finalists were recorded and the competition was very successful.”

Winners of the grand finale of the YCOM and their awards

*Two Phases, One Purpose: CBT Meets Confidence*

The competition runs in two phases. Phase one is a Computer Based Test. For many students, it’s their first time touching a mouse in an exam setting.

“In the test a student will be exposed to ICT and we also put them through because we understand that not all students are exposed to such gadgets,” Alom explained. “And so, we put them through and they were very excited, very happy. You could see the joy on the faces of the students.”

The finals brought something else: testimony. A pioneer member from the 2025 edition, Olivia Sunday of Leaders Academy, tried to encourage the students on the benefits she derived from the programme, shared how the programme positively shaped her academic growth and improved her analytical thinking skills,” Alom said. “She understood that mathematics is not just about answering questions in the class. She noticed that mathematics is beyond that. Mathematics helps you to be a better thinker, to reason better, to be a better leader.”

Alom called it “an inspiring lesson to all the students and it was a very wonderful exercise.”

*Did YCOM Change WAEC/NECO Results?*

“In last year’s maiden edition of YCOM those who participated were mainly students from Junior Secondary schools being prepared for Junior WAEC /NECO,” Alom said. The YCOM contest held after their internal exams, but before the external ones.

“From the results we got, our students who participated in that Exam not only had more confidence going into such external Examinations but performed excellently. So many of them scored ‘A’s in Mathematics.”

This year, YCOM doubled down on catching them young. “In the just concluded Mathematics Competition we emphasized on JSS 1 and 2 students to see how we can catch them young and groom them well in mathematics so that moving forward they will not see mathematics as a difficult subject, they will not see it as a challenging subject but they would be able to put in more effort in mathematics so as to be better individuals in life.”

The logic is simple: “As we are preparing them in the YCOM competition, in a way they are also preparing for all these external Certificate Examinations.”

*The Dream: From FCT to 36 States of the Federation, and a Monthly ‘Champions League’*

“As an Educator, I teach Mathematics and so, I understand how important mathematics is, even if one may not be a Mathematician tomorrow but the fact that Mathematics is applied in all phases of life,” Alom said.

After two successful editions, the calls are getting louder. “There are calls that we should extend the programme because of its importance to students and we are trying to see how we can take the programme to the six Area Councils in FCT, Abuja and the 36 states of the Federation.”

The expansion starts next month. “As I speak now, we have plans in place to launch our YCOM Champions League in Mathematics. We are launching it in July next month and after the launch, the programme will be every month. Every week the students will converge for tutorial and at the end of the month there will be competition at the end of which we will announce a Champion.”

That’s not all. “Therefore this dream is not just a one day thing, it’s going to continue. Aside that, we will be having our annual YCOM Competition. So, we are going to expand the dream, to include awarding a Cup in mathematics competition.”

For Alom, the end game is national. “Mathematics is problem solver and we believe that through this initiative the nation’s problems would be solved.”

Meanwhile,the Federal Capital Territory Universal Basic Education Board (FCT UBEB) has expressed strong support for the expansion of the Young Champions of Mathematics (YCoM) competition across schools in Abuja, following the successful conclusion of its second edition.

Representing the Executive Chairman of FCT UBEB, Mr. Mohammed Baturi Umar commended the organizers and JSS Kurudu for their commitment to educational development.

He noted that the objectives of YCoM align with the Board’s vision and expressed interest in scaling the initiative across more schools in the FCT.

By George Mgbeleke

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Tinubu administration of grave insensitivity, following comments by Presidential Spokesman Bayo Onanuga that he does not see the level of hunger and hardship being reported across the country. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said Onanuga’s views reflect the dominant thinking in the Tinubu-led government, which it said confirms its long-standing position that the administration is disconnected from the reality faced by millions of ordinary Nigerians.

The full statement read:

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned recent comments by Presidential Spokesman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, claiming that he does not see the level of hunger and hardship Nigerians are talking about. Those comments are not merely insensitive; they are a startling admission of how disconnected the APC government has become from the realities of the people it governs. When over 80% of Nigerians are struggling to feed their families, pay school fees, afford transportation and keep their businesses alive, it is extraordinary that a senior presidential spokesman can publicly suggest that the hardship is somehow overstated or even contrived.

The truth is that Nigerians are not faking their suffering. The unprecedented cost-of-living crisis confronting the country today is the direct result of the ill-conceived and poorly executed economic policies of the Tinubu administration, which have thrown millions more into acute poverty since this government came to power. Food prices have soared, transportation costs have multiplied, the value of incomes and savings has been eroded, and millions of Nigerians who were managing before are now trapped in economic distress. This is not opposition propaganda. It is the daily lived experience of ordinary Nigerians in every state of the federation.

What makes Mr. Onanuga’s comments particularly troubling is that they reveal a government that has become tragically insular and could no longer do anything differently. A sensible government does not measure the effects of its policies by merely looking at the people within its immediate circle or driving through paved roads. It must listen to the people in the markets, on the farms, in the classrooms, in the workshops and in the streets. If the Presidency genuinely cannot see the hunger and hardship that Nigerians are talking about, then it raises serious questions about whether it sees the people at all.

The APC government will undoubtedly point to roads infrastructure projects as its achievements. While even this is debatable, the fact remains that Nigerians cannot eat roads. The first responsibility of any government is to create economic conditions in which citizens can afford food, find jobs, run businesses and live with dignity. On this most fundamental test, the Tinubu administration has failed. After three years of promises, excuses and appeals for patience, the reality for 62% of Nigerians is that life is harder today than it was when this government took office.
The ADC believes that leadership begins with honesty.

The question is no longer whether Nigerians are suffering; Nigerians already know that they are. The real question is whether this government is prepared to acknowledge the consequences of its policies and accept responsibility for its historic failures. Until it does, comments such as those made by Mr. Onanuga will only reinforce the growing perception that the APC government is out of touch with the people and unwilling to confront the damage its economic policies have inflicted on ordinary Nigerians.

By David Owei,Bayelsa

Bayelsa State would soon establish an agency to regulate activities that result in erosion and other environmental menace on its waterways.

This followed the recent Supreme Court judgment affirming the rights of Bayelsa and Lagos states over the control and management of above the surface activities on their waterways.

Governor Douye Diri disclosed this on Wednesday during the 189th meeting of the state executive council in Government House, Yenagoa.

Governor Diri said both states successfully challenged the Federal Government at the apex court over the control of their waterways, resulting in the landmark judgement.

According to him, the state’s Attorney-General was studying the judgment and would provide the legal framework for the establishment of a state waterways agency.

He said: “Our government joined hands with that of Lagos State and we were in court with the Federal Government over the control of our waterways. At the end of the day, that partnership yielded results as the Supreme Court gave judgement in favour of both states.

“I have directed the Attorney-General to study the judgement and we shall now set up our own waterways agency so that activities taking place on our waterways, including the transportation of black sand and other resources, will be properly regulated under the authority of the Bayelsa State Government.”

The governor warned against illegal and unregulated black sand mining activities in the state, stressing that while the government supports youth employment and economic opportunities, all resource extraction must be carried out legally and sustainably.

He noted that black sand is a valuable natural resource deposited in Bayelsa and must be managed responsibly to avoid repeating the environmental devastation caused by decades of oil and gas exploration.

“There is no government, particularly the government of Bayelsa, that is doing so much to engage our youths and create opportunities for them to work that will at the same time prevent them from earning a living. We want our youths to work, but we want them to engage in legitimate activities,” he stated.

He expressed concern that indiscriminate mining of black sand could lead to severe environmental consequences, including erosion, environmental degradation and the destruction of coastal ecosystems.

“We are already suffering from the challenges of oil and gas exploitation, environmental pollution, environmental degradation and the loss of aquatic resources. We do not want a repeat of that experience through the unregulated mining of black sand.”

He stated that some operators, including foreigners, had been extracting and transporting black sand from the state’s waterways and coastal areas without the necessary authorisation from either the federal or state governments.

“Initially, some of these operators were not even engaging with government authorities. They were taking black sand from the high seas and transporting it without proper certification, authorisation or regulation. Such activities cannot be allowed to continue.”

He directed the Ministry of Environment to intensify engagement with mining operators and explore opportunities for value addition within the state rather than allowing raw materials to be extracted and exported without tangible benefits to the Bayelsa people.

“Going forward, we intend to back these measures with law. It will no longer be a matter of executive directives alone. A bill will be prepared and taken to the House of Assembly so that all stakeholders can contribute, and when passed, everyone will be guided by the law.”

Diri urged youths and members of the public to seek accurate information about government policies rather than relying on misinformation, assuring them that the administration’s objective is to ensure that Bayelsa’s natural resources become a blessing rather than a source of environmental and economic challenges.

He directed the Commissioners for Information, Orientation and Strategy, and her Environment counterpart to collaborate in educating the public on the government’s position regarding black sand mining and the responsible management of natural resources in the state.

On power supply, the governor appealed for patience from residents over the ongoing expansion of electricity distribution under the state’s independent power project.

He explained that outages and delays were caused by infrastructure upgrade requirements and recent gas supply disruptions resulting from a leakage on the pipelines.