How Mathematics Stopped Me From Getting Mad In Prison - Soyinka Reveals

He said although he disliked the subject while in secondary school, mathematics actually became his saving grace while he was undergoing incarceration by a military junta.

Soyinka said it was while in detention that " I realised that you must always have an integration, a common line - be you an historian, horticulturist, mathematician..."

The Nobel laureate said: "I hated mathematics at school. I hated my teachers who were very brilliant at mathematics and they forced it down our throats whether we liked it or not."

The literary icon spoke yesterday when he played host to the academic laureates who did Ogun State proud in academic competitions, at his Kemta, Idi Aba home in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Soyinka, while addressing the laureates, advised them not to prioritise any subject above others.

Governor Dapo Abiodun on April 22, showered the academic laureates and their teachers with cash prizes, houses and laptops at a ceremony held at the Obas' Complex, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.

Noting that the efforts of the Abiodun administration on education was evident in the emergence of the academic laureates, who have shown great excellence and exploits, Soyinka further encouraged them to always have holistic sense of integration and interaction of subjects, which he said would help them to excel in all spheres of life.

Speaking at the event, Governor Abiodun, while highlighting some of the achievements of his administration in the education sector, promised to continue to sustain and uphold the legacy of the founding fathers of the state who strived to make Ogun a citadel of education.

The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, urged the awardees to thrive in giving their best and promised that the state would continue to create an enabling environment for learners to excel.

"We are indeed proud of all our academic laureates who have distinguished themselves in different competitions. And as a state, we promise to continue to put in the required provisions that will continue to aid teaching and learning activities that will produce more academic giants", the governor said.

In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, enjoined the students to draw inspiration from the Nobel Laureate by not relenting in achieving greatness in all they do.

Some of the laureates were given cheques raging from N50,000, to N5m laptops and other goodies.