Home State: New Jersey

Grade Level: Seventh

Seyi Fayanju became interested in geography when he was three. He used an atlas and encyclopedias to learn about places in the world. “I learned many things and would repeat them to my mom and anyone else in my house in an attempt to remember the facts. It annoyed them, but I was too young to know that,” he says. That preparation paid off when he made it to the national competition as a fifth grader in 1994 and returned to become the national champion in 1996.

The son of Nigerian immigrants, Seyi says his friends and family supported him while he was preparing for the competition. “Winning the Bee gave me a sense of relief, pride, and happiness,” he says. It has also given him some celebrity status. People from all over the world have seen Seyi’s appearances on television shows and in magazines and newspapers. “I have met many fascinating people and received many letters from as far away as California, Europe, and Nigeria,” he explains.

This year Seyi is editor-in-chief of his school newspaper and is a member of the yearbook staff and Quiz Bowl team. He also enjoys playing sports with his friends.

Seyi emphasizes the importance of setting goals and working hard to achieve success. He adds, “Winning the Bee isn’t just a matter of memorizing the locations of every place in the atlas. Don’t work yourself too hard. Spend some time each day devoted to learning something new.”

Winning Question:

Name the European co-principality whose heads of state are the president of France and the bishop of Urgel.

Answer: Andorra

         Mark Thiessen