Nigeria’s Miss Osawemwemze Imafidon Decorated By Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Nigeria’s Miss Anne-Marie Osawemwemze Imafidon will on Friday be decorated by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, with the prestigious honour of Member of the Most Excellent British Empire (MBE) for her services to young women with speciality in Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The eldest daughter of Prof. Chris and Ann Imafidon from Edo State whose family has been dubbed the Brainiest Family in Europe, Anne-Marie holds the record of being the youngest girl to ever pass two GCSE examinations — for Mathematics and Information Technology and A-level computing at the age of 11 in Britain.

Imafidon, who is a multi-linguist, speak six languages and has worked with Goldman Sachs, Hewlett-Packard, Deutsche Bank, and Lehman Brothers. In 2013, she founded Stemettes, a social enterprise which inspires the next generation of women into pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with an objective to break barriers women who pursue a career in the field face.

Stemettes, which grants awards to young women, have programs workshops and events designed to introduce young women to STEM careers, concepts, and role models, have attracted over 7000 young women from across the UK, Ireland and Europe. Imafidon’s rather unique achievements at a young age has stood her out as a person to watch out for by the British press; she was named on Evening Standard’s recent list of ’25 under 25s’ and a Guardian ‘Top 10 women in tech you need to know’ as well as being the UK IT Industry & British Computer Society’s Young IT Professional of the Year in 2013.

Her father, Professor Chris Imafidon, known as the patriarch of Britain’s brainiest family, said he received the news last year of her inclusion in the 2017 honours list with shock.

Her sister, Christina, 24, is the youngest student to ever get accepted and study at an undergraduate institution at any British university at 11; another sister, Samantha, 17, having passed two rigorous high school-level mathematics and statistics exams at the age of six, while the twins, Peter and Paul, made British history as the youngest students to ever enter high school when they became the youngest to ever pass the University of Cambridge’s advanced mathematics exam, setting world records by passing the A/AS-level math papers.

Others Nigerians who will also be honoured this year include Prof. Elizabeth Nneka Anionwu, a Professor of Nursing, who gets an OBE for her services to nursing and the Mary Seacole statue appeal, Chris Ofili, an artist who gets a CBE for his services to arts and Jeremiah Oluwatosin Ayotunde, a Cadet Colour Sergeant who gets an OBE for his services to young people and the community of London. Top ranking tennis star, Andy Murray, is among the hundreds of achievers to be honoured.