Published 14th Mar, 2025

By Opeyemi Lawal

On Thursday, Daily Times Nigeria, a Nigerian newspaper, posted on its X page that Nnamdi Kanu’s son had been awarded for outstanding performance in Mathematics and Science.

Nnamdi Kanu is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The newspaper claimed that the young boy, whose name was not mentioned, beat rivals from 30 countries to clinch the price in Georgia, the United States of Amercia (USA).

“Nnamdi Kanu’s son has been crowned Best Student in Mathematics and Science in Georgia, USA, after outshining competitors from nearly 30 countries, including China and England,” the newspaper posted.

“His exceptional intelligence quotient (IQ) played a key role in his victory, and despite the rigorous, highly monitored exam conditions, he displayed remarkable integrity, answering every question flawlessly.”

https://twitter.com/dailytimesngr/status/1900271327530873218?s=48

The post has since generated significant engagement, with over 234,000 views, 4,300 likes, and at least 340 comments at press time.

However, the post did not specify when the event took place or when the award was given.

In response, some X users went on to praise the boy’s brilliance, attributing it to his father’s ingenuity.

Aaron Jacy wrote, “A lion will always give birth to a lion! A snake will never deliver something that does not have a long tail.”

Real Collins, another user, shared, “The world will keep hearing your name, so.n Just like your father, you will be discussed in positive news headlines across the globe. This is just the beginning.”

Nnaemeka also wrote, “Igbos to the world. Congratulations, chap.”

This claim has also been circulated outside X, as many accounts on Facebook, Threads, and Instagram have shared them here, here, here, here, and here.

However, several users have accused Daily Times Nigeria of recirculating news of the boy’s win for years. Some think the boy is Nnabuikem Nnamdi Okwu Kanu, born in 2016.

CLAIM

Nnamdi Kanu’s son was awarded the best student in mathematics and science in Georgia, USA. He was awarded these prizes ahead of other competitors from 30 countries of the world.

VERIFICATION

In verifying Daily Times Nigeria’s claim, Grok, an AI chatbot developed by X, stated that there is no evidence that Nnabuikem won a math or science competition in Georgia, USA, as no such event exists for nine-year-olds.

Also, from earlier reports, the family is said to reside in the United Kingdom, which makes participation in such events unlikely.

– No evidence supports Nnamdi Kanu’s son winning a math/science competition in Georgia, USA; no such international event for 9-year-olds exists there.
– He lives in the UK, making participation unlikely, and past similar claims (e.g., best science student at 7) were debunked as…
— Grok (@grok) March 14, 2025

FIJ also found the same post from May 2023, claiming that the boy was awarded the world’s smartest kid at the age of seven with a prize of $500,000 by the US government.

Screenshots of the same claim from 2023.

Uchechigeme Okwu-Kanu, Kanu’s wife, called the story a hoax on Thursday.

“”I wish this brilliant boy or brilliant boys and their parents well… This hoax tended 2 or 3 Years ago,” Okwu-Kanu posted on Facebook.

Uchechigeme Okwu-Kanu, Kanu’s wife, called the story a hoax on Facebook.

The same claim has been recycled since 2023, with no record of such an achievement for Kanu’s son.

FIJ ran a Google Image search on the image used in the original claim and found its source was from a US middle school award event.

The event was the 2023 Yes I Can! Award for exceptional students. The boy in the image is award winner Syarie Ware, a pupil of East Paulding Middle. He was one of many awardees.

CONCLUSION

The claim that Nnamdi Kanu’s son was awarded Best Student in Mathematics and Science in the US is false. It is a false report that has been circulating for over two years.

Okwu-Kanu has denied the claim and FIJ has found that another American pupil’s image was repurposed for this false narrative.