
Paula and Peter Imafidon are just like any other 9-year-olds. They love laughing, playing on the computer and fighting with each other. What sets these twins apart from their peers, though, is that they are, hands down, prodigies who are about to enter high school and make British history as the youngest to do so.
Watch Paula and Peter, who were 8 at the time, share their braininess here:
These precocious London-based tykes, known as the "Wonder Twins," floored academics a year ago when they aced University of Cambridge's advanced mathematics exam. They are the youngest students to ever pass the test.
The future little scholars' father, Chris, and mother, Ann, immigrated to Britain from Nigeria more than 30 years ago and have actually been down this prodigy route before with their three older children, who are also overachievers.
The couple's oldest daughter, Anne-Marie, is now 20, but at age 13, she won a British government scholarship to take undergraduate courses at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Christiana, 17, their other daughter, is the youngest student ever to study at the undergraduate level in any British University at the age of 11. Youngest daughter, Samantha, now 12, passed two rigorous high school–level mathematics and statistics exams at the age of 6. She mentored the twins to pass their own math secondary school test when they were also 6.
Even with all of this, the proud dad denies that there is any particular genius in his family. He does credit his children's success to the Excellence in Education program for disadvantaged inner-city youth. "Every child is a genius," he said. "Once you identify the talent of a child and put them in the environment that will nurture that talent, then the sky is the limit. Look at Tiger Woods or the Williams sisters -- they were nurtured. You can never rule anything out with them. The competition between the two of them makes them excel in anything they do."
The darling duo are competitive to say the least, and this is what fuels them to out-achieve each other. Paula said, "I am excited to pass, but I should have got higher than Peter."
As far as career paths Paula says she wants to be a math teacher, while Peter aspires to be prime minister one day.
All it takes is a dream....



Comments: (120)
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By: Keisha on 3/03/2010 1:59PM
This is a very positive and awe inspiring story. Thanks! BV, for sharing this positive and uplifting story. I have emailed this story to many of my friends and family.
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By: All Winners LOVE Winners on 3/03/2010 7:20PM
POSITIVEly PERFECT....AMEN
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By: E on 3/03/2010 1:36PM
Wow! That's amazing!
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By: unknown on 3/03/2010 2:04PM
Wonderful story! I am so happy to read a story that positively portray the potential any child of any origin can have if nurtured at an early age. Though their success runs in the family and maybe part genetic, I agree with their father that it is based more on nurture. God bless those children.
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By: ADMR on 3/03/2010 7:03PM
WONDERFUL Twins!
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By: Ben on 3/03/2010 2:50PM
The truth is every black family could produce children like this.The difference is they are African, come from a two parent home, their parents value education and encourage them to excel.Plus how many black children have parents who take an active interest in what they learn in school and out of it.
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By: toyna on 3/03/2010 7:36PM
WRONG, Every Black family can't have kids like these, No Families have kids like these ''NOT'' All of them, But i agree with you, Every Child reguardless of their race can reach better achievement if you take away the television and electronics.
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By: Jamal on 3/03/2010 8:09PM
Your attention is invited to the fact that these are BRITISH children, NOT American. American blacks, as a rule, can't pour piss out of a boot without help. They're far too busy ditching school, smoking or selling crack or shooting each other. Come on daddy, spend some time at home.
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By: Eric on 3/03/2010 8:28PM
Exactly, you have parents that are taking an active part in the education of their children.
I have lived overseas for close to a decade and I am not surprised that they are of Nigerian decent. No matter where I went or traveled from Paris to Beijing I always saw Nigerians struggling with small businesses and speaking the local language of their host country. You will never meet a harder working and more determined group of people in your life and who value education. Mark my words, in about 3 decades Nigeria will be one of the most powerful countries on the continent of Africa. There is much many brothers and sisters in America could learn from Nigerians.
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By: k on 3/15/2010 11:47AM
Ben you act as if All white kids are smart..lol
There are a lot of black kids like this. The news just won't report it.
Did you know that a black man worked at IBM and helped make the PC?
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