Black girls stay rockin'! And Nkechinyere Chidi-Ogbolu is no exception.

Washington D.C.'s ABC affiliate WJLA reports that 18-year-old Chidi-Ogbolu recently graduated magna cum laude from Howard University with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering.

But, that's not all, folks! She will continue her studies in California as she seeks her Ph.D. at UC Davis. Plus, Chidi-Ogbolu is working on a book that will focus on her experience as a teen in college. Can't stop; won't stop!

According to Howard's paper The Hilltop, Chidi-Ogbolu was raised in Nigeria and skipped fifth grade in the primary school she attended in that country. She graduated from the British school system where the highest level of education was the 11th grade, and then went on to start at Howard at the tender 14-years-old after studying for the SAT in Nigeria. She has now completed her undergrad journey with top honors.



“I was overwhelmed with emotions; it was just a very happy day overall,” said Nkechinyere Chidi-Ogbolu. “I came into college for chemical engineering because I wanted a really broad field and I like the idea of engineering, because it’s basically just solving problems,” she continued.

Chidi-Ogbolu was never a stranger to hard and diligent work, and was never allowed to settle for mediocre. She studied “every day, Monday through Sunday, every day … four hours every day,” said her mother, Kemi Chidi-Ogbolu, who feels that the degree is the best Mother's Day gift she could ask for.

“In her first test, she was making 87/89 and that is ‘B’, for me Nkechinyere wasn’t ‘B’. I can’t deal with my child having ‘B’,” said Kemi Chidi-Ogbolu, who expecting nothing but excellence from her daughter. “Time is priority. You want your child to do well, you want them to finish well. Why not?”

Photo: Twitter

Of course, in Nigeria, it is common for children in Nigeria to graduate high school at 16 years old, so extraordinary feats are the norm. “I didn’t think graduating at 18 was a big deal,” she told The Hilltop. “But, when everyone else said they were proud of me, I felt emotional to get recognition from so many people.”

“I never felt learning was age-related. If you were taught the material and you’re serious about learning, you’ll be fine – regardless of your age,” Chidi-Ogbolu noted in regards to age not being a deterrent in her schooling journey. “I didn’t find courses any more difficult than the typical college student.”

Along with her persistence, Chidi-Ogbolu noted that she wouldn't have come this far without the help of her family and friends stating, "I think I just had a really good support system.”

What's next for the 18-year-old phenom? Well, her ultimate goal is to find cures for a variety of ailments, especially those most likely to affect Nigerian citizens. “I want to help fix illnesses like Ebola and other diseases – major or minor,” she said. “I want to help people in Nigeria.”

Shout out to this young superstar!