How Nigerian Chess Master is Changing Lives of Lagos Street Kids

Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya, is changing the lives of some homeless children on the streets of Lagos, and his weapon of choice? The strategic game of chess.

In the bustling streets of Lagos, where thousands of homeless children navigate life’s harsh realities, Tunde’s compassionate initiative unfolded.

According to the convener of Chess in Slums Africa, the decision to reach out to these children was founded on love.

We walked the length of Lekki all the way to Jakande to talk to every child we could find on the streets.

We visited one of the biggest ghettos in Marwa Lekki and told the boys to join us. They were hesitant at first as December was peak period for them to make money by begging in traffic and even in extreme cases, harass commuters.

Their life was one of survival they explained.

I brought out a Chess board and laid it in front of them. I could see their eyes lit up with curiosity. I told them they had two options-one was accept their fate and the other was to make new choices.

Their lives had been defined by the poverty of their parents sadly.

This is not just a story of rescue but a tale of transformation through the game of chess.

For these homeless children, accustomed to the harsh rhythms of survival, chess became more than a game—it became a metaphor for life choices.

Tunde, with a chess board in hand, presented them with a chance to redefine their destinies.

In a recent tweet, he noted;

They had two options—one was to accept their fate, and the other was to make new choices.

Fortunately, the children made the right decision by accepting the opportunity Tunde presented to them.

The next day, all 55 of them showed up at our make shift training center right in the heart of Lekki Freedom way.
It was the first day of the rest of their lives.

They made their very first winning chess move by just showing up to learn with no incentive.

Chess: A Metaphor for Life Choices

Tunde’s vision transcends chess as mere moves on a board; it’s a lifeline for those left on society’s fringes.

“We decided to share our lives with them every day for the entire month of December,” Tunde reflected, highlighting the depth of his commitment.

Behind the rags and weary faces were stories of pain, survival, and resilience.

One of the transformations that resonated deeply was that of Fawaz Adeoye, from a street kid hustling under Oshodi bridge two years ago to an intern in a lawyer’s office who also builds websites.,

The makeshift training centre on Lekki Freedom Way transformed into a hub of education.

Tunde shared;

We taught them Chess, Art, literacy, and mathematics. All of this became a window to express their inner world.

In those 16 days, chess ceased to be just a game; it became a vehicle for education beyond classroom walls.

In his words;

All of this became a window to express their inner world, a world they had seen much of but had little opportunity to tell.

We gave them education beyond the walls of a classroom.

They solved complex maths in seconds like I had never seen before, and found new confidence in their own abilities. They had come to the full realization of their own potential.

A gift no one could ever take away from them—The gift of knowledge.

The initiative culminated in a celebration of newfound skills and confidence. The chessboard, once a silent battlefield, now echoed with the brilliance of these children making strategic moves.

The final days saw a transition from the ghetto to homes.

Tunde wrote;

After 15 days of sharing our lives ,it bothered us so much to see them wear rags. So we got them new clothes and gave them nice haircuts.

For the first time, we saw them not for what they looked like, but for what we knew they could become. This was their story of becoming.

We had a heartfelt conversation with them during a mentorship session.
The stories were truly heartbreaking- Drugs, sex abuse, violence, hunger. It was too much

Some were orphans who never knew their parents, many came to Lagos from their villages with hopes of escaping poverty.

Consequently, partnering with Child Lifeline, Tunde ensured each child found their way back, armed with newfound skills and a renewed sense of self-worth.

In this context, in Tunde Onakoya’s hands, chess is not just a game; it’s a narrative-altering force.

Furthermore, through the delicate dance of chess pieces, he’s redefining the stories of Lagos street children, turning pawns into heroes, and proving that strategic moves can lead to a brighter future, even in the harshest circumstances.

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