The holder of Guinness World Records for the longest marathon chess game, Tunde Onakoya, has announced plans to organise a chess tournament for children in displaced persons camps in Maiduguri.
Onakoya made this known in Maiduguri while rounding off his three-day visit to Borno during which he promoted the game among children in collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Officers Mess Maiduguri Chess Club.
Onakoya, who is founder and convener of “Chess in Slums in Africa” focused on providing interventions for children in Lagos slums, said he wanted to replicate what he did in Lagos, in Borno.
The chess master, who visited two displaced persons camps in Maiduguri where he engaged in a series of coaching games and lectures with the children, said he was impressed with the kids’ display of intelligence.
According to him, the proposed tournament for the kids would herald the essence of his project to raise a generation of thinkers.
He urged government to introduce chess into school curriculum to activate a generation of critical thinkers and problem solvers.
Onakoya said that his coming to Maiduguri was his first trip to the North, and he was glad that he came to contribute through chess to improve the intelligence level of the vulnerable children in collaboration with NAF.
Also speaking, Commander of the 105 Composite Group of NAF, Maiduguri Base, Air Commodore C.O. Olayera, lauded Onakoya for the visit and engagements to promote chess which, he said, was worth the while.
Olayera, who is also the patron of NAF Officers Mess Chess Club, assured the chess master of the club’s commitment to partner with him in reaching out to the children in Borno.
“I think we have really achieved the objective of having you in Borno,” Olayera said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Onakoya, during the three-day visit, engaged children in camps for training sessions and interactions, and also held sessions with children from schools and members of the NAF Mess chess club. (NAN)