In its bid to encourage the
study of Mathematics among the student populace of its alma mater, the 1976/1981 set of Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borikiri, Port Harcourt, recently instituted awards for two different categories of students in the school.
These awards are for the best Mathematics Students in The Junior Secondary  level( JSS) and the best Mathematics student at the Senior Secondary  level (SSS)and are inaugurated by the old boys, led by its Class Captain, Mr. Wills Iniruo.
These are done in memory of a former member of the body, late Godknows T. Iso-Bobo.
According to Iniruo, the late Iso-Bobo excelled in Mathematics while in school and was highly regarded as a Mathematics guru by all and sundry.
Apart from his Mathematical prowess, the Maths prodigy was also said to have been committed to service during his life time, hence his former class mates decided to name the awards after him for his commitment to service as well.
“We are inaugurating the awards in the memory of our dear class mate, Godknows Iso-Bobo, who excelled in Mathematics while in school and who was also an epitome of dedication to service. “He dared where all others cringed. Mathematics to most of the students was a monster that was to be feared and avoided, but he earned everybody’s respect, because he mastered the subject and bested it at will”, Iniruo said.
The school, was about the best in the eastern part of the country then. It was founded by the United States Development Agency, USAID, together with the one in Aiyetoro, Ogun State. We had the best facilities in the area and the best local and expatriate teachers available in the area then. One of the expatriate teachers that we met at the school, K.D. Smith still teaches in the school today. He taught us the two most important subjects English Language and Mathematics throughout our stay in the school.”
The honouree, Godknows was not just our class mate, he was the General Secretary of the set Association and was known for his dedication and exemplary lifestyle while alive. He stood out among our colleagues and was one of the icons of mathematics in our class” , he added.
In a lecture he delivered at the inauguration ceremony, an old student of the set, Barrister Idaye Opi advised the students to be mindful of the best way to develop their minds, as it is one of the most precious gifts given them by God. According to him, everybody is either a leader or follower, but in order to achieve greatness, one has to develop his own mind.
Quoting copiously from the book, ‘The Case For Faith’ by Lee Strobe, Barrister Opi told his audience made mainly of the members of the old boys, students of the school and journalists, that one’s mindset propels one towards his objectives, and that it was the most powerful weapon one possesses which must be protected by all means.
“Your mindset sets you apart from the rest of the pack, you need to develop your own mindset and protect it strongly because it is the most powerful weapon you possess”, he said.
In another lecture, Rev Yerisoanga Peter-Kio, who is also an old student of the school and a member of the set, told the students that Mathematics was a very important subject and that it empowers its practitioners economically, adding that Mathematics was involved in all human endeavours and that those who employ it properly will be successful in life.
“All the challenges we are facing in the country at the moment are due to the fact that our leaders are not applying the right mathematical rules to the situations in the country’ “ he said.