Sundaymail Editor
Harmony Agere and Tanyaradzwa Kutaura
WHAT is in a name?
Well, for some, it is an opportunity to make a statement. Were it not for his unremitting love for Mathematics, Kamfumu Tizoka (52) would perhaps not have managed to come up with unique names to give his children. His undying passion for Mathematics impelled him to do something that is virtually unheard of in his community.
Tizoka a farmer by profession based in Shamva, saw it fit to apply mathematical jargon to his children’s names.
Married to Mfella Tizoka the couple was blessed with three children whom they decided to name Pythagoras, Theorem and Cosine. The Pythagoras Theorem in mathematics states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse side is equal to the sum of squares of the other two sides. In trigonometry, the law of cosines relates the lengths of the sides of a triangle to the cosine of one of its angles.
These mathematic theories are complicated to many people but not to Tizoka, who took time to explain to The Sunday Mail news crew, the logic behind the names.
“The love I had for mathematics during my school days played an important part towards me naming my children Pythagoras, Theorem and Cosine,” he said.
“I fell in love with the subject from a very tender age whilst I was in primary school, I passed mathematics at Grade Seven, Zimbabwe Junior Certificate (ZJC) and at Ordinary level, I got an A.
“To some, it might seem like an awkward stance, but I feel that I did the right thing because I wanted my children to be familiar with the subject at a very young age and I achieved my goal, it also helped them to love the subject exactly the same way I did.”
Tizoka said he gave his children mathematical names so that they would have an analytical mind in life. His belief is that they will have an opportunity and zeal to follow in his footsteps and become mathematics gurus. Mr Tizoka, an A 1 farmer, feels the subject plays an integral part in his life as it helps him to calculate chemical ratios when tending to his crops.
“At times I tend to correct the Agritex officers when they teach us to mix chemicals for use in our field, this would not have been possible if I had a negative attitude towards Maths during my school days,” he said.
“I think Government should make it compulsory for children to learn analytical subjects like Mathematics and Environmental Science from Early Childhood Development (ECD) as these are critical subjects that can help in one’s life regardless of the profession they are in.”
Naming children is often a contentious issue between parents but for Tizoka and his wife Mfella, there was full consensus.
Mfella said she found it interesting to name her children Pythagoras, Theorem and Cosine even though she had no idea what the names meant or what motivated them.
“I had no clue what the names meant nor how my husband had come up with such names, it took time for me to finally understand. My husband would constantly explain all the details pertaining to the names and I saw nothing wrong with them.
“Fellow women and relatives would ask a lot of questions but I stood firm in defence of my husband.”One of the children, Cosine, aged 13, said fellow students at Mandimu Primary used to laugh at his name but got used accustomed to it with time.
“My friends used to laugh at me especially at Mandimu where I did my primary school,” he said.
“But it never bothered me because I love my name and they soon got used and forgot about it all.
“It’s the new people I meet who get surprised now. But a number of them do not even know the name is related to mathematics because it sounds just like another name.” He said the name has given him inspiration to excel at mathematics.
“I am doing well in Mathematics and I hope to be the best at the subject because that is my father’s wish,” he said.
Tizoka’s wishes seem to have coincided with the country’s plans which seek to promote the uptake of science-related subjects countrywide.
Online Reporter