Teachers forced me into science, discouraged my law dream — Chess champion Onakoya

Chess master Tunde Onakoya

Kindly share this story:

Nigerian chess champion and Guinness World Record holder, Tunde Onakoya, has expressed deep regret over how secondary school teachers discouraged him from pursuing his passion for law and the arts.

In a post made on Thursday via his X.com page, Onakoya revealed that despite excelling at debates and having a genuine love for words, teachers at his secondary school convinced students that the Arts class was reserved for “dullards” while Science class was meant for the brightest students.

He wrote, “One of my greatest regrets in life was letting the teachers in my secondary school convince us that Art class was for dullards and science class for the smartest students. I was excellent at debates, loved words and really wanted to be a lawyer but they wouldn’t let me.”

The 31-year-old chess master believes this practice has altered the life trajectories of countless Nigerian children who were similarly discouraged from following their true passions.

“They made that choice for me before I understood what it meant. I’m pretty sure this was a moment that altered the trajectory of the lives of so many Nigerian kids,” he added.

PUNCH Online reports that Onakoya, who broke the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon by playing for 64 hours at New York’s Times Square in April 2024, has become a global advocate for children’s education through chess.

Born in Ikorodu, Lagos, on October 6, 1994, Onakoya learned chess at a barber’s shop in the slums. His mother worked as a cleaner in exchange for his school fees after the family couldn’t afford his education.

In September 2018, Onakoya founded Chess in Slums Africa, a volunteer-driven non-profit organisation that empowers children in impoverished communities through chess education. The organisation has trained over 1,000 children across 11 African countries and secured lifelong scholarships for 20 students.

His record-breaking chess marathon was aimed at raising $1 million for children’s education across Africa. The event drew support from prominent Nigerians including President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and music stars Davido and Adekunle Gold.

Kindly share this story:

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]

UPDATE NEWS: Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25Million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, 👉 click here to find out how it work (Be sure to ask for evidence of clients that have benefitted from this)

Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!

Stay in the know—fast. Get instant alerts, breaking headlines, and exclusive stories with the Punch News App. Download now and never miss a beat.