Dear Esther,

You made my day. Story like yours is scarce. We rarely have news to smile to nowadays in our country. So when I saw your news on CNN, I was happy.

Although the newscaster is quick to call you a British-Nigerian kid. That’s another issue on its own. I don’t blame England for wanting to claim you. Or any other Nigerian doing good in England.

Afterall, it’s probably very possible that all the good news, without the environment they provide, wont have been possible. It’s not a coincident that Nigerians thrive better outside Nigeria.

Dele Alli, Anthony Joshua and many more. Our nation is still a joke. But somehow I am proud of you. You are a whizkid.

At age 10 you are an undergraduate at Open University in the UK. We here you already top your class after the recent exam. They said you scored 100%.

I imagine my age mates are in that class too. I know many of these adults here and there that can’t definitely score 25% in such exams. Let me not mention there names. Most of them are Liverpool fans. Others are Chelsea and United fans.

Let’s leave them alone and praise your heroics. How you were already ready for higher institution mathematics at the age of 7. But was deliberately delayed by your mum until you were 10.

You said you want to finish the course in two years. Before doing your PhD in financial maths at 13.

Wow.

13 years old? PhD?

I am this old and I don’t have any PhD in my plans. Where was I at 13?

I’ll tell you.

At 13 I was probably just rounding off my Primary School programs. All I had in my head then was probably how to play with Chika. Chika was a kid neighbor. We were kid mates.

Yeah, I can’t remember the exact age though. I know I had my fair share of academic heroics. It wasn’t maths. It was never maths until I was in my teen age. It was never maths before then. It was fine art.

I drew everything. I was good at sketching. I had my drawing books and did some awesome drawings. That was all. Maths was not fun.

So I envy you.

I hear you want to own your own bank at age 15. You said you love numbers and people. So you will have your own bank at 15!

Hmmm.

I am jealous.

All these artistes that keep disturbing our ears with Bullion Vans, Too Much Money, 30 Million Gang don’t even own a bank. They just have mouth for lyrics bigger than them.

We know them during fuel price hike. They will come out and start crying too. They always voluntarily and naturally join the protests.

You are smart and I know you will own that bank at age 15.

You that had your first Math GSCE exam at age 6. And got a C-grade. And at 7 you did it again and got A-grade.

Thank God your mum spotted this talent much early. Other mums I know are chasing what isn’t chasing them. If they are not legs and ass into Zee World they are looking for gossips and reading my InstaLetters (well my letters are informative so this is not a problem — lol).

But thank God your mum, at age 3 discovered your love for maths. I hear your brother, Isaiah who is 6 years old, is also writing his first A-level exam in June. It’s in the blood.

Can’t wait to buy your book series for kids I know. When will you be done writing? I like the title though — Yummy Yummy Algebra.

Esther Okade keep soaring high.

Your Math Head spotter,
Ediale