Becoming algebra ninjas: why Arewa may never fail O-Level math again (III)

Our standards for assessment would be WAEC and NECO questions.I’ve requested the Kano State coordinator of the programme to compile relevant examination questions to go with each chapter of the book and also address the issue of copyrights wherever necessary.If everything is free to the student, then who will buy these books? Our people will […]

Our standards for assessment would be WAEC and NECO questions.
I’ve requested the Kano State coordinator of the programme to compile relevant examination questions to go with each chapter of the book and also address the issue of copyrights wherever necessary.
If everything is free to the student, then who will buy these books? Our people will donate. I know many yan Arewa who are itching to donate books to this initiative – our people are good that way. Actually, we have a donor already. Malam Samaila Suleiman, the only CPC chairman in Kaduna State (who I’m told is doing quite well), has donated 100 books. He has also promised to help recruit the first students in the state to benefit from the programme.
Besides, it’s sadaqatul jariya. Further, when you donate, your name will go into our donors’ database and published online for the world to see. You can also donate to your children and we’ll still publish your name, but inform us so that the names of your children would be entered into the database and eligible for the competitions.
You may buy the book directly from Amazon.com or ask the local book sellers. (With time we shall buy the publishing rights to the book in Nigeria.) Donors should give the books to the state coordinators so that they can distribute to students. Schools may participate, but one doesn’t have to be in school to be a beneficiary. Right now, we have only state coordinators in Bauchi (Sani Ibrahim Misau, +2348033668284), Kaduna (Hassan Ismail Galadima, +2347036147106) and Kano (Hussaini Jibrin, +2348026506189).
You can apply to be a state coordinator, but we want only coordinators who are passionate, employed and are relatively comfortable. We don’t want people that would be tempted to start selling the books that are meant to be free. This is a volunteer work – for God and our people. To give you a glimpse of what a coordinator should be: one of our coordinators works in NNPC, one with the Nigerian Airports Management Authority and the third is an officer with the Prison Service. State coordinators will be responsible for choosing local government directors, so we desire the right people.
Finally, we want to appeal to politicians to desist from spoiling and derailing us by giving unnecessary gifts or inviting us to useless meetings. If you invite me, I wouldn’t come, so don’t embarrass yourself. However, you can donate books, even to the students of your own constituency and you can claim the credit as the dividends of democracy you provided for your people.
You could also donate prizes at the local, state or regional level. We have the following prizes:
Best Algebra Student (1, 2, 3) – scholarships
Best Coaches (1, 2, 3) – scholarships
Best State Coordinators (1, 2, 3) – plaque and/or money
Best State -Plaque
Best Local Government – plaque
I’ve not stated anywhere that myself or the coordinators will make money. So what’s the catch? There’s no catch. I must be connected to the author then? No I’m not. But I know many Nigerians who are actively searching for ways to help our people, I’m one of them. In fact I’ve communicated with the author only twice. The first time was to thank him for writing such a wonderful book and requesting when he would finish the geometry version – he said in July 2012. But I don’t think he was able to finish it. The second time was a request to give me a free book so that I could review it on this column, but he didn’t even find my request worthy of acknowledgement, so he didn’t reply. Therefore, if anything, I should have something against the guy. But the book is so good that even if it were written by Satan himself, I would’ve recommended it.
Our local book sellers (Odusote, Booksellers, Challenge, etc.) should stock this book so that people would find it easy to purchase and donate to our students.
What if someone steals, copies or extends this initiative? Please do. I’m counting on it! Let’s compete in doing good, so that our students and children and their children after them would benefit and change the world.
What should you do now? Please call your state (or neighboring state) coordinator and pledge your donation. We’ll continue to publish updates (and names of donors) on this column, but you can also find updates and the first parts of these series on my site: http://www.ibraheemdooba.com/prof-brainy-algebra-ninjas/