The National Science and Math Quiz (NSMQ) has gradually evolved into a National pastime where much of the country is thrown into a boisterous frenzy with current high school students engaged in healthy rivalry and the older generations doused in nostalgia of their high school days.

It is an all-round exciting time in Ghana and we do well to remember the exceptionally brilliant students from different schools from all over the country.

Some of these students have their names preceding them and are tagged ‘the must watch’ students and still some are the unexpected geniuses who show up as magical saviors for their schools answering questions with the speed of lightning and the accuracy of aeronautics.

Remember Mbebo? The Santaclausian Magician who hopped onto the quiz stage at the last minute and pushed Adisadel to a glorious second place at the 2020 final contest closing the wide gap and impressing the entire country with his sharp wit and academic prowess?

Mbebo is currently preparing for the next stage of his academic career, having performed with distinction in the WASSCE and scoring in the top 1% of all SAT test-takers in the world.

His remarkable efforts have been awarded with an admission to study at New York University Abu Dhabi with a full scholarship. He plans to study Computer Science and Computer Engineering with the sole aim of helping bridge the opportunity gap in technology in Ghana and Africa.

With a world class education, Mbebo is looking to help build Africa’s first Tech hub, modelled after Silicon Valley, the United States’ Center for Innovative Technology Companies.

“The obvious lack of tech hubs on the continent is deeply discouraging for technological innovation”, Mbebo explains.

“With the absence of a community of highly motivated ‘techies’ committed to innovating for practical solutions, the growing number of tech enthusiasts in Ghana and Africa are bound to give up on their journey because they do not have a community rich with support, resources, and financial backing.”

Mbebo is working hard and has already begun collaborating with a few of his friends to bring Africa’s first tech hub, “The Gold Valley” into existence.

The talismanic PRESEC trio, Nii Amu, Selassie and Nathaniel made headways in the 2019 NSMQ competition when they demonstrated repeatedly what collaborating for excellence truly means.

Today, all three are hard at work, carving out cogent plans for their future and for Ghana and looking for ingenious ways to collaborate to work towards the development of our continent.

Nii Amu is finding ways to bridge the gap between Biochemistry and Computer Science, having accepted a full scholarship admission to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

With an Ivy League education, he hopes to return to the continent to set up a startup committed to investing in youth capital development and providing more opportunities in the sciences and technology.

Who knows? Nii Amu’s startup could be one of the many tech startups in Mbebo’s Gold Valley.

In his cozy dorm room at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, Nathaniel is engaging in research into the application of engineering and data science to human sensing and health.

He is working on ways to develop and use mobile, wearable and digital solutions to understand, monitor, and affect biobehavioral factors that influence health in Africa.

In his hectic prep to begin his freshman year at the premier Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, Selassie is working on a lofty goal to assist in the industrialization of the Ghanaian Economy.

“Ghana is long overdue for a transformation from an Agrarian Economy to an Industrialised one…”Selassie emphasized. “We have to amplify our efforts in creating more industrialized firms that will transform our numerous raw materials into finished goods that will command higher prices on the world market,” he said.

It is beyond refreshing to have such brilliant young minds committed to the development of Ghana and Africa.

Clearly the National Science and Maths Quiz is doing a remarkable job providing a platform for Ghana’s youngest and sharpest minds to kick start their journeys to excellence.

These four continued on their journey at AFEX Hub in East Legon where they received SAT tuition and college application guidance and they are now on their way to make their dreams for Ghana and Africa beautiful realities.

We look forward to more success stories like these and it is absolutely exciting for the future of our country and continent to be in the hands and brilliant minds of the likes of Mbebo and the PRESEC Talismanic trio!

The author, Cedric Kekeli Afewu is a journalist and former student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism