Congratulations son (@wizzyboy3)! He won 1st place in Ibom Abacus Mental Maths Competition for 2025

Two months ago, my son came home very excited and with an uncontrolled joy and happiness. I asked to know why such joy, and he told me that Ibom Abacus Mental Maths Competition for 2025 is coming and that he is going to compete for the last time. Well. He was that happy because he thought he won't participate again after last year's competition where he won 4th place and got a chess as a prize. He had always dreamed of coming first and prayed that if he will get another chance to participate, that he will surely come first 🥇. So, learning that he will have another chance made him that happy and since then, he has been preparing for it.

I never really understand how important the competition was to him because I didn't accompany him to the last one he won 4th place and so I didn't really understand how exciting it is. I wasn't even moved but one can easily notice his joy and his enthusiasm as he prepared for it.

When he asked for the registration money, I told him that he will have to pay with his money and he was so happy to do that. It was N4000 (20 steem). However, I didn't notice how seriously he was preparing because I know him as one who loves playing games with his phone, he also loves football and watching movies and so, each time I remind him to prepare for his upcoming competition especially when I see him playing those games or watching movies, he will always tell me that he is preparing seriously. Hmmmm, I am yet to see the seriousness in him but he will always assure me that he will come first, that I shouldn't worry.

On Saturday last week, that's 5th July was the day of the competition. I had travelled back to meet them from my place of employment when he asked if I will be accompanying him to the competition. But I told him that I have a plan to go out in the ministry because I didn't go out within the week due to my schedule. He told me that the whole family will be going and that I should join. I couldn't resist his urge. I accepted to join. On that faithful day, we all got ready and left before 8am. According to him, we need to be early. The vanue was Tetfund hall, University of Uyo Permanent site. Getting there, we saw so many kids and their parents already there. He presented his admission form and was allowed in.

He went straight to where his grades where seated while we went to where spectators where seated and watched him from there. He was just all by himself, not playing or talking to anyone. I even felt pity for him. According to him, he is determined to win and he will use his prize won to buy himself a pair of shoe. In fact, he really needs it and he wants to buy it for himself. And so he doesn't want any distractions at all.

Schools were trooping in their numbers and kids were taking their seats. Before long, the competition began with the introduction of some key personnels that will moderate the competition. Then it was announced that the competition will come in 2 phaces: place one will be written and the smartest kids will then go to the stage for the second stage which will be the oral one. The kids were more than 800 but only 6 from each grade will be called to mount the stage. The grades are Grade 1 to grade 9. But from grades 7 to 9 are grouped as one amd my son is in grade 9.

Soon, the scripts were distributed to all the kids and they were all given 10 minutes to answer the questions. They were watched on smartness and accuracy. Even if you have a tie with someone, the minutes will be considered. So, if you finished faster, you will emerge. The grades 7 to 9 were given 45 questions to answer in 10 minutes and my son was the first in his grade to submit in less than 3 minutes, he was done already and I was wondering if he actually finished or if he knew what he wrote. When the 10 minutes were over and they collected all scripts from the kids, we went to meet my son and when asked how he managed to complete in less than 3 minutes, he told us that the questions were too cheap for him amd that we will see that he will be first.

When the results were announced, he was actually first in his grade in that round 1. When it was time for round 2, all who were successful were called according to their grades. When it was my son's turn, he was invited to the stage along with the other 5 kids and they faced the main questions. They were given 5 seconds to supply each questions and in each of them, my son answered in less than a minute. It was a marvel! But he had a tie with a kid from his school and they were out for another set of questions to be able to break the tie. That was where he won the other kid to emerge as winner.

Wow! The boy meant it when he said he will win first place as though he was the examiner. We were so happy and we waited for the prize. The prizes were given according to the grades beginning from the least. At last, he finally received his prize 🏆 and we took pictures and went home. On our way, I decided to prepare a spacial fried rice for him and for we all to have fun together. We branched a market there and bought things for it. We went home and I prepared fried rice with chicken and yogurt. We also invited @bossj23 @alli001 @kidi40 and others who joined in the joy.

My son got a trophy 🏆, a certificate and a gift prize of N25000 (125 steem) which is for shopping next week Saturday. This will help him to buy his dream shoe. It didn't end there, yesterday when he went to school, he also got a cash gift of 5000 (25 steem) and when he got home, he got a data as a gift from @xkool24. And according to him, he may likely receive more gifts from his school. He is filled with joy and happiness, the result of hard work is what he is reaping now. I congratulate him for dreaming big and working towards it and also achieving it. Kudos to him and I wish him many more successes in his endeavours as he work hard.

What is facing him now is his junior WAEC that will promote him to grade 10. He is preparing for it at the moment. I pray he passes with excellent results. His sister just finished her own senior WAEC. They will both be graduating soon. Till then, let's keep hope Alive.