A student who has phobia for mathematics will not attain full potential according to a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Johnson Olaleru.
According to the don, the application of Mathematics pervades every aspect of human life and must be embraced by all students, irrespective of their courses of study.
".. A student with phobia for mathematics can’t really excel but perform as an average student," Olaleru said.
"This is because if you talk about any discipline, you can’t really excel in any area if you don’t have some knowledge of mathematics.
According to him, there is no area of life where mathematics is not applicable.
"In this era of development where is mathematics not applicable?
"Can anybody mention any area in the life of a nation where mathematics is not applicable?"
"In areas where we don’t apply mathematics it is because people are not familiar with such areas.
He noted that even in the humanities, knowledge of mathematics is important.
"Those who go into humanities like law and think they have escaped from the subject are wrong because one of the best lawyers ever produced first studied mathematics before law.
"Mathematic has a way of helping individuals to sharpen the brain and think logically.
"Someone with mathematics background will have an edge to defend an idea logically."
With many Nigerian students nursing Mathematics phobia, Olaleru said “government and the institutions must do their own part to make sure that students develop the right attitude to the study of mathematics."