Chiemelie Ezeobi
Three Nigerian students have won gold medals at the Grand Finale of the International STEM Olympiad in Rome, Italy, in a remarkable achievement for the country on the global academic stage.
The students are 11-year-old Egejurum Onyedikachi, 13-year-old Chimdiebube Onwubiko and 17-year-old Don Anele Munachimso.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by education advocate and Educare CEO, Alex Onyia, who sponsored the students’ participation in the competition after they emerged among the top performers at the South-east Mathematics Olympiad.
Sharing the development on X, Onyia first announced that Onwubiko and Munachimso had won gold medals, stating that “the wait is over. We have two golds: Chimdiebube Onwubiko and Don Anele Munachimso. We are the best in the world!”
He later confirmed that Egejurum Onyedikachi had also won a gold medal but his name was omitted while Munachimso secured a second gold medal in Science.
“More good news. Don Anele Munachimso also won gold in Science. He is the best in world science. Remember, he is the best in IGCSE Chemistry in Nigeria. The investment is worth it,” Onyia wrote.
In another update after the omission was corrected, he wrote : “Onyedikachi Egejurum got a Gold. He is the best in Mathematics in the world Primary Category. This is the beginning of greatness for the country.”
He also praised the students’ teachers, saying, “Master Chisom Unachukwu and Anthony Iwegbu are their maths teachers. They helped their students conquer the world.”
Onwubiko attends Evergreen Schools, Enugu, while Munachimso and Onyedikachi are students of Diamond Special College, Owerri.
The International STEM Olympiad, held at the Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, attracted participants from more than 150 countries competing in Mathematics and Science events.
The three Nigerians qualified for the global competition after emerging among the best contestants at the Southeast Mathematics Olympiad, organised by Onyia, which attracted more than 11,500 participants from across the region.
Onyia sponsored their participation by covering the costs of registration, visas, flights, accommodation and other travel expenses.
Before the competition, he had expressed confidence in the team, describing them as some of Nigeria’s brightest young minds.
