Little did I know that this was the most important decision of my life. Eventually, I went back to school because my mom made a sacrifice for me. Luckily, the secondary school I attended had chess as a subject. This was a revelation for me. I found the gift of chess, and I kept playing, getting better with time. My coach recognized my talent and called me gifted, which was a stark contrast to being called a dummy in primary school.
Chess became my identity, an intellectual one, despite growing up in poverty in the slums of Ikorodu, Lagos. It gave me hope, and I excelled academically. Although I aspired to be a doctor to lift my family out of poverty, that dream didn’t materialize due to a missed cutoff mark. Nevertheless, I pursued chess passionately, winning tournaments and scholarships. Eventually, I became an entrepreneur, teaching chess to children in private schools.
But it wasn’t until I revisited my old neighborhood and saw children like me, deprived of opportunities, that I realized the transformative power of chess. It had given me a lifeline, a way out of poverty, and I wanted to offer the same to others. Thus, I decided to dedicate myself to teaching chess to underprivileged children, hoping to give them a new identity and a chance to realize their potential beyond their circumstances.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings