A 13-year-old boy who outperformed competitors from 54 countries in an international science competition returned home on Monday to a hero’s welcome, as Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah rewarded him, his teacher and his school for flying the state’s flag on the global stage.
Chimdiebube Onwubiko, a JSS 3 student of Evergreen College, Enugu, captured international attention after winning a gold medal in Mathematics and a silver medal in Science in the Grades 9–11 category at the International STEM Olympiad in Rome, Italy.
Competing against older students from across the world, the teenager’s performance placed Enugu on the global STEM map.
At the Government House in Enugu, Governor Mbah hailed the young scholar’s achievement as evidence that talent, when nurtured through quality education and discipline, can compete with the best anywhere in the world.
“We are so proud of you and your teachers,” the governor told the student during the reception, urging him to remain focused and continue pursuing excellence.
The governor also used the occasion to reaffirm his administration’s investment in education, saying initiatives such as the Smart Green Schools project were designed to give children across Enugu access to world-class learning regardless of where they live.
The reception turned into an engaging conversation when Mbah jokingly described the teenager as “a magician” in Mathematics and asked what had fueled his extraordinary success.
Onwubiko credited his achievement to years of discipline, consistent preparation and a competitive spirit. He said the determination to excel, coupled with inspiration from high-performing classmates, pushed him to embrace sacrifices necessary for success.
He also noted that while teachers provide guidance, students must be equally committed to learning if they hope to achieve outstanding results.
For Evergreen Schools, the international medal was the latest validation of years of investment in academic excellence.
Doris Chinedu-Okoro, the School’s chief executive officer, said the achievement reflected the institution’s culture of rigorous preparation and expressed confidence that its students would continue to make Nigeria proud on the global stage.
His Mathematics teacher, Chisom Unachukwu, described the victory as the outcome of years of deliberate coaching, recalling the confidence the young student displayed while competing against older contestants from different countries.
To celebrate the achievement, Governor Mbah announced cash rewards of ₦2 million for Onwubiko, ₦2 million for his Mathematics teacher and ₦1 million for Evergreen Schools.
The medal-winning student attended the reception alongside the school’s Chief Executive Officer; his Mathematics teacher, Chisom Unachukwu; and Vice Principal (Special Programmes), Chimbuchi Chinedu-Okoro.
Also present were the Commissioner for Education, Professor Ndubueze Mbah; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Delivery, Ozirumba Afigbo; the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Mainstream Media, Dan Nwomeh; General Manager of Afia TV, Nnamdi Obanya; Afia TV Chief Correspondent, Nathalie Ukwu; and Afia Radio Manager, Orji Nwachukwu.
