Nigeria’s chess champion, Tunde Onakoya, has shared a heartwarming story of two brothers he adopted after their mother passed away and how one of them has now become a chess champion in the United States.
In 2018, Onakoya met Jamiu and his brother Ayomide in the slums of Majidun, Ikorodu, Lagos. At the time, Jamiu was working as a roadside mechanic, while Ayomide was a young boy with a passion for sports. Onakoya, known for using chess to empower underprivileged children, invited the brothers to his weekend chess academy.
Onakoya grew close to the boys and visited their family, meeting their mother, a kind woman who had lost her leg in an accident. She made a heartfelt request to Onakoya, asking him to take care of her sons if anything happened to her. Tragically, she passed away two weeks later, leaving Onakoya to fulfill his promise.
Onakoya adopted the brothers, and they moved in with him. He ensured they returned to school, and Jamiu discovered his passion for chess. Under Onakoya’s guidance, Jamiu became a chess champion, and Ayomide excelled in track and field.
Seven years later, Jamiu has achieved a major milestone, winning the ICN Chess Championship in New York and beating over 200 USCF-rated players. Onakoya proudly shared the news on his Instagram handle, expressing his joy and pride in his adopted son’s achievement.
“I kept my promise. I always will,” Onakoya wrote, reflecting on his journey with Jamiu and Ayomide.
