Tunde Onakoya in a group picture with children chess players at a displaced persons’ camp in Bolori ward, Maiduguri.
Tunde Onakoya, the Nigerian chess player and coach who holds Guinness World Records for the longest marathon chess game has arrived in Maiduguri to promote the game among the youths.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Onakoya, who is the founder and convener of “Chess in Slums in Africa” that is providing interventions for children in Lagos slums, arrived in Maiduguri on Friday.
On arrival, the chess master visited children of internally displaced persons in Muna and Bolori camps who were trained in chess games by members of the 105 Composite Group of the Nigeria Air Force, Maiduguri, Mess Club.
Onakoya, who had interactive sessions and played some chess games with the male and female children in the camps, lauded them for their commitment and zeal in the game.
While urging them to sustain the tempo, Onakoya encouraged them that the game would not only sharpen their talents but would take them to places just like him.
He narrated his story as someone from a poor background like them, and how he started learning the game when he was 10 years old.
Many of the children who spoke, particularly girls who experienced trauma due to the insurgency, said the game had been helpful in their healing and recovery process.
NAN reports that Onakoya and his team also paid a courtesy call on the Commander of 105 Composite Group of Nigeria Air Force, Maiduguri, Air Comodore C.O. Olayera.
The commander lauded him for the programme aimed at supporting the vulnerable children to explore their talents and potentials.
Olayera assured the Air Force commitment to collaborate with stakeholders as part of its social responsibility in supporting vulnerable children to pursue education.
The collaboration according to him, will also be a platform for nurturing and mentoring the children to excel in various fields and contribute to societal growth and development
(Vanguard)