Chess master, Tunde Onakoya Celebrates Adopted Son’s USA Big Win

By Bukola Kuteyi 

Guinness record holder and Nigeria’s chess champion, Tunde Onakoya, has celebrated his adopted son for becoming a chess champion in the United States.

Tunde shared the story of the two brothers he adopted after their mother died and how one of the boys is doing well in chess and becoming a chess champion.

Onakoya, holder of the high record, is known for using chess to empower less privileged children.

It was gathered that he met these boys, Jamiu and Ayomide, in the year 2018 when they were living in the slums of Majidun, Ikorodu, Lagos State.

“I met Jamiu and his brother in 2018. He was a curious kid, brilliant and full of light. Back in Lagos, he was working as a roadside mechanic. Then, I met and invited him and his brother Ayomide to our weekend chess academy,” Tunde Onakoya stated

According to him, their mother was reported to have lost her leg in an accident while scavenging for plastic bottles to feed her children, and because she could not afford hospital bills, she was not opportune to get treated.

Also, the husband had abandoned her since the birth of Jami; the children did not grow to know their father; their mother died in 2019 from an illness.

Since then, the children have been in Tunde’s cust; they got to school.

Jamiu became a chess champion and is currently completing his university education. Ayomide is a track and field senior and is in his final secondary school year.

Meanwhile, seven years later, Jamiu has achieved a major milestone: he has won the ICN Chess Championship in New York, beating over 200 USCF-rated players,s and has secured a $500 scholarship.