They named an asteroid after this Nigerian Professor - See why

In a rare and historic recognition, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has named Asteroid 149831 “Okeke” after Professor Francisca N. Okeke.

PFN Okeke is a trailblazing Nigerian physicist from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and this honour immortalises her groundbreaking research in physics and space science. This means her name will forever shine among the stars.

Why An Asteroid?

To understand the weight of this achievement, it helps to know what an asteroid is. Asteroids are rocky remnants from the early formation of the solar system, orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

They are billions of years old, and naming one after a scientist is one of the rarest honours in astronomy, and this is reserved for individuals who have made groundbreaking contributions to humanity.

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Who Is Professor Francisca Okeke?

She was born in Idemili North, Anambra State. Prof. Okeke’s academic journey began at UNN, where she earned her B.Sc. in Physics (1980), M.Sc. in Science Education (1985), M.Sc. in Applied Earth Geophysics (1989), and a Ph.D. in Ionospheric Geophysics (1995).

She later completed her postdoctoral studies at the University of Tokyo, Japan, opening doors for international collaborations in atmospheric research.

Her career is marked by historic firsts:

• First female Head of Department of Physics and Astronomy at UNN (2003–2006)

• First female Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences (2008–2010)

• First female Professor of Physics in Eastern Nigeria

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Beyond this, she is celebrated for actively mentoring women in science, championing gender inclusivity, and training a new generation of physicists. Prof. Okeke’s research focuses on the ionosphere and the equatorial electrojet phenomenon, a ribbon of electric current circling the Earth’s magnetic equator.

Her findings have helped scientists understand how solar activity influences the Earth’s magnetic field, with implications for climate change, space weather, and even natural disaster prediction. Her work is not only theoretical; it has practical implications in forecasting earthquakes, tsunamis, and extreme weather events.

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In 2013, she won the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award for Africa and the Arab States, solidifying her role as one of the world’s leading female scientists. That same year, she was listed among the Top 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine.

Prof. Francisca Okeke is also the wife of Prof. Pius Nwankwo Okeke, who is referred to as the Father of Astronomy in Nigeria. She got married to him at the age of 18, and he is an equally distinguished scientist, well known for authoring widely used physics textbooks in Nigeria.

Okeke has authored 15 textbooks on physics and astronomy, including Nigeria’s most popular, Senior Secondary Physics, co-written with his wife and S.F. Akande. The couple has six children.

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These works have educated generations of Nigerian students and remain staples in schools and universities across the country.

Prof. F.N. Okeke now joins global icons like Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Marie Curie, as well as cultural legends like Freddie Mercury and Sean Connery, whose names have also been immortalised among the stars.

Her asteroid, discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, USA, will forever carry her name as a reminder of her contributions to atmospheric physics and space science.

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