
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: (118)
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By: huge-bullbone on 3/04/2010 2:11PM
The father credits the childrens' success to the British "Excellence In Education Program" for disadvantaged inner city youth. Sounds just like what we have and perhaps need more of or a similar version of here in America. It would be interesting to get that program adopted here somewhere and see if it works better than what we have. Are you listening President Obama's Secretary of Education and school boards across this great land of ours. If it works there for them, maybe it could work here as well.
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By: Blkdymond139 on 3/04/2010 7:54PM
@ blackbear72 - I did not find your comments on this particular subject to be racist. But I have to agree to disagree because your comments seemed misguided to me.
While I can admit that there are many ways that Black people can improve in the arena of education, taking responsibility in spite of all the "isms", family values, etc, I don't think Blacks have to assimilate into American culture. By the way, I think Americans in general of all races and ethnicities could stand to improve in these areas - not just the Black population. Blacks have had no choice but to be a part of, and assimilate into the American culture because that is all they know. Unlike other ethnicities who are immigrants, Blacks were unable to hold onto their ethnic and cultural roots. Most blacks I know, identify as American first and " do not put the pride of their skin color or heritage over the fact that they are Americans."
Now, as far as these twins - they are phenomenal for any race of people to nuture and produce. Bravo to them!
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By: bma on 3/04/2010 8:16PM
What does it matter that they are black? What matters is that they are smart. Black people want to be considered equal members of society to all other races in society -- which is absolutely fabulous; and they should be. But quite honestly these types of stories just bring the black people down as a whole -- like saying "yay, 5 of us are really smart, which is amazing because we consider the rest of us blacks to be less than noteworthy"... it insinuates that you dont expect intelligence from your own people. If it were an Indian family, would it say "Britain's smartest family is Indian"? Hell no. And that is what other races think when they read these types of articles, too. You are keeping yourselves down by doing these types of things
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By: Mark on 3/04/2010 8:17PM
What damn difference does it make if they're black??
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By: Mark on 3/04/2010 8:19PM
Who gives a damn if they're black?
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By: Rodney Owusu - Ansah on 3/09/2010 10:41AM
Until the day Blacks are considered just as intelligent as Whites and Asians, everyone should care that these 2 geniuses are Black
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By: uh... on 6/11/2010 4:25PM
I don't understand why it's important that they're black. The title of the story basically enabled racist - and unsubstantiated - comments. Seriously?
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By: James on 3/04/2010 8:41PM
WOW! Not only are they smart, they speak good english! Makes American Blacks look bad!
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By: Trudy on 3/04/2010 9:00PM
I also have to say I have a brother from Nigeria and he is one of the smartest most humblest men I know. He is very giving and a true Christian too. I love him as a person, man, father, and brother in Christ. He always thinks positive and wants the very best for everyone.
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By: ryn w on 3/04/2010 9:10PM
wow, reading this made me proud..so many kids these days frown upon education. good to see kids who are applying themselves. kudos to their parents!
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