Chess-in-Slums founder, Tunde Onakoya, has changed the conventional meaning of “area boy,” typically associated with street thugs, into a symbol of intellectual prowess.

Onakoya, addressing a TEDx Talks gathering at Nile University of Nigeria in 2023, revealed his background as an “area boy,” a clip of which gained online attention on Wednesday. 

He explained that this identity inspired his unique attire, combining an indigenous cap and suit.

Onakoya shared his vision of using chess to unite children from diverse backgrounds, aiming to break down barriers between the affluent and underprivileged. 

Inspired by this vision, he embarked on a mission to introduce chess to the marginalized youth in the slums, including those often stigmatized as “area boys.” 

By providing chess boards and opportunities for these boys to learn and compete, Onakoya sought to empower them and foster camaraderie across socioeconomic divides. 

Through this initiative, he aimed to demonstrate the transformative potential of chess in promoting inclusivity and social harmony within communities.

Onakoya said, “I am also an area boy; I mean, for a very long time, the term ‘area boy’ has been known to be a derogatory word that is being used to refer to the thugs, hoodlums and criminals in Lagos. But we’re able to redefine what that meant, and a lot of us became area boys for the sake of some people, and I’ll tell you that story.

“So, some 16 years ago, I was at home, I had just completed my primary school education, and my mom called me and told me that I would have to stop school because they just couldn’t afford tuition anymore, and I had to stay at home so my brother could go to school and that was going to be the end of education for me.

“I wasn’t a very brilliant kid in primary school; I mean, I could not even speak good English at the end of my primary school because the school I went to was a ‘Pako’ one where they taught in Yoruba, and we had to sit on the floor. So, I was really struggling, and my teachers would call me ‘olodo’. So it was the easy way out, okay, so no school, so I dropped out of school, and I was at home for two years after my primary school education.

“There was this barbing salon just on the other side of our street, and I would go there to play video games at the end of the day. Then, on one of those days, the barber just brought out a small plastic chess set, and I’d never seen a chessboard before.

“I was a very curious kid, so I asked what this was, and he said it was a chess set. I’d never seen one before, but I was fascinated by the way the pieces were carved, so I told him to teach me because I wanted to learn how to play because I would see him just sit down and talk to himself all right and it would say crazy stuff like well if you play this game you’ll be very intelligent, you’ll be very smart, and I told him to please teach me, and he said no I was too young and he didn’t teach me. So, I was just watching him play with his friends, and with time, because I was a very curious kid, I was able to pick up the rules of the game.

“I learned how to play chess by watching. At the time, it didn’t occur to me that I had made the most important decision of my life, but then it became clear that something had happened, and I went back to school; my mom had to make a sacrifice for me, and I returned.

“Fortunately, the secondary school I attended had chess as a subject, I had never seen that before. We learned chess as a subject and we wrote exams because I think the owner of the school then was the United Nations Ambassador to Kenya and he played competitively when he was younger and that was how I found the gift of chess.

“I kept playing, and I got really good, and my coach discovered that I was a really good, gifted child. I remember my coach telling me that I was gifted, and I believed it. That was the first thing that I learned as a kid who grew up in poverty in the slums of Ikorodu in Lagos. I found an identity, and it wasn’t just any identity; it was an intellectual identity. I began playing professionally, and I was ranked one of the top players in Nigeria, and I finished school in 2015.

“I won a lot of tournaments. I won the Trevor and Chess Challenge, the national friends of chess. I was a really strong player who wanted to become a grand master. I started teaching chess to private schools just like I’d learned, and I’d never thought of it before. But in that period when I thought of teaching chess to children, it made me realize that chess was an important educational resource for children who struggled with their self-esteem and everything else.

“I had challenges with teaching the boys who had never been to school, but believe me, they learnt at an incredible pace. What would take a master a year to learn was learnt by them in a month.

“They beat the other kids from rich schools and won trophies at national and international levels. They even got the toast of notable people to play with them, including the former Manchester United captain, Patrice Evra.”

Recall that on Wednesday, April 17, Onakoya began his efforts to break the chess marathon record of 56 hours, nine minutes and 37 seconds, held by two Norwegians, Hallvard Haug Flatebo and Sjur Ferkingstad, since 2018.

To achieve that, Onakoya had to partner with an American chess champion, Shawn, which was Martinez, in accordance with the Guinness Book Of Records’ requirement.

The aim of the 29-year-old chess player was not only to break the record but to raise $1 million for the education of marginalized children.

During his efforts to break the record in Times Square, he vomited a couple of times and was urged to give up due to his failing health, but he insisted on continuing.

Tunde Onakoya succeeded in breaking the record and even surpassing the 58-hour mark he set for himself as he set a new landmark of 60-hour at about 12:40 a.m. (04:40GMT) on Saturday, April 20, 2024.

The new record holder said he attempted to raise funds and awareness to provide educational opportunities to underprivileged children across Africa.

The federal government has begun payment of N2.75bn compensation for owners of properties affected by the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

The compensation was flagged off on Wednesday with 10 beneficiaries, according to the Minister of Works, David Umahi said at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos.

The beneficiaries are: Olaotan Olamuyiwa of Checkmate; Kemi Osinibi of Landmark Kids Club by Maxtivity; Mide Adegbite, Peter Oladipupo of FX Lounge; Bukola Oloko, Abiodun Oguntunde of Xchange Lagos; Dapo Oniru of Moist Beach; Mustapha Olatunji of G12 Beach; Dr Bashir Oshodi, and Bestrock.

Umahi said the N2.75bn covers compensation for property owners affected by the demolition necessary for the construction of channel 0 to channel 3 of the coastal highway.

Umahi said the compensation was out of sympathy for president Bola Tinubu’s supporters.

“To show sympathy for people who voted for Mr. President, we would do everything possible to pay the human face compensation.” the Minister said adding “Today, we are paying over N2bn in compensation just from channel 0 to channel 3.”

Umahi said the remaining beneficiaries will be directed to the Secretariat of the Compensation Committee for payment.

The minister said, “All tenants within the Landmark premises, today, have all been shortlisted and they will get the alerts by 2:00 pm.

“Most of them are here and that closes the politics of Landmark.

“The committee will be sitting from 2:00 pm so that you will sign your documents in the form of indemnity and you will get your alert tomorrow before 2:00 pm.”

Solidarity in Action: Collaborative Governance, Empowered Workers

By President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR Being a speech by His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the occasion of the 2024 May Day celebration, held on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

Protocols…

My dear compatriots and fellow workers in the service of our great country,

Today, I join you to share in the essence of this day and to express my deepest gratitude and admiration for the invaluable contributions each and every one of you makes to keep our nation afloat in its times of greatest need.

Today, I stand before you to tell a fundamental truth: you, the workers of our great nation, are its very backbone. But I’m not here merely to echo familiar praises of the labour force. Rather, I want to assure you that we appreciate and celebrate your hard work, sacrifices, and contributions to the prosperity and stability of our great nation every day. I am equally thrilled that this event, the first since we took office, is organised by the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress under the leadership of Comrades Joseph Ajaero and Festus Osifo.

Great Nigerian workers, your role as an indispensable component of the nation’s engine cannot be overstated by any government if the quest for a just and progressive society is to be realised. Therefore, I extend my most heartfelt congratulations to you on this very important celebration.

I do not take for granted the understanding, patience, commitment, and support you have shown throughout the implementation of this government’s policies and programmes aimed at positively transforming our great nation. Your contributions have played a significant role in our efforts to rescue the economy since we came on board.

Fellow Comrades, your choice of the theme “People First” for this year’s May Day celebration is both instructive and commendable. The thoughtful selection by the leadership of both the NLC and TUC resonates with my government’s agenda and demonstrates that the working class holds a central position in the affairs of this nation. It also reflects the commitment of Organised Labour to collaborate with the government for the benefit of all citizens. I appreciate your efforts to prioritise the people in governance.

I recognise that the theme “People First” aligns with both the “Human-cantered Agenda for the Future of Work” and the Centenary Declaration of the International Labour Organization (ILO), which the government is committed to implementing. This commitment ensures alignment of Nigeria’s Labour Administration System with international best practices. While the three pillars of the agenda seek to drive growth, equity, and sustainability for present and future generations, they require us to prioritise investment in people’s capabilities, enhance investment in work institutions, and promote decent and sustainable work.

We took office at the time many nations, including ours, were experiencing daunting socio-political and developmental challenges. Yet, we are resolute in confronting these obstacles head-on. The scourge of criminality, from banditry to kidnapping and the farmer-herder crises, alongside terrorism, continues to afflict our nation despite the tireless efforts of our armed forces. We are aware of the toll this takes on our economy. I assure you: we are fully committed to tackling these security challenges.

You would recall that on January 30th, 2024, the Federal Government convened a 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage. The committee’s mandate was to provide counsel and suggest a national minimum wage that aligns with our current economic conditions. Since then, the committee, in collaboration with labour leaders, has been diligently working towards proposing a new National Minimum Wage. Unfortunately, despite concerted efforts, the committee was unable to reach a consensus at its last meeting. This shall be resolved soon and I assure you that your days of worrying are over.

Indeed, this government is open to the committee’s suggestion of not just a minimum wage but a living wage.

Great Nigerian Workers, we cannot achieve a just and equitable society that caters to the needs of every member, including the strong and the weak, without fostering peace and unity. Our shared vision for national growth and development can only be realised in an atmosphere of industrial harmony and peaceful coexistence in every segment of our country. The dividends we have promised the nation, and which you work tirelessly to ensure, can only be achieved when we all unite for progress.

On this momentous day, I urge you and all our fellow citizens to place your trust in this administration. The seeds of greatness planted in our nation are beginning to bear fruit, and they promise a future filled with hope and bound by prosperity.

Let me assure you, with the utmost sincerity, that every initiative undertaken by this administration is geared towards transforming Nigeria into a nation that can truly provide for its people.

So, I call upon each and every one of you, as I have consistently done, to join hands in shaping the destiny of our nation towards greatness. Our allegiance and patriotism are the bedrock upon which our beloved country thrives. The success of our government’s policies and programmes hinges on the willingness of the workers, as the backbone of our workforce, to embrace them wholeheartedly. I appeal to you to continue using the power of the labour movement for the greater good of our nation, fostering harmony and cooperation.

Once more, I extend my heartfelt congratulations on this successful Workers’ Day celebration, and I wish you all joyous festivities.

May God continue to bless our country

The President of the Trade Union Congress has said that increasing the workers’ maximum will not increase inflation.

The President of Trade Union, Festus Osifo, clarified this in an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday.

He noted that increased revenue allocation to the state government since May last year is sufficient incentive to review an upward review for the worker’s minimum wage.

Osifo said organized labour has proposed an N615,000 minimum wage for workers.

“If you look today, from May 2023 to date, revenue from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee to the state government has tripled.

“This means the state government has more money to build roads and schools to purchase other items. The most critical aspect of production is labour. It is for you to take part of the money and pay workers. That won’t increase inflation because the money will be spent anyhow; if you don’t give it to workers, it will be spent on other projects.

“Giving workers what is due them won’t necessarily increase inflation,” he stated.

His statement comes as Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the 2024 International Workers’ Day amid untamed economic hardship.

Meanwhile, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s inflation soared to 33.22 per cent in March

The corpse of Precious Ofurum, the sound engineer who died in the boat mishap that also claimed the life of Nollywood actor, Junior Pope, has been exhumed for burial in Rivers State.

On April 10, Precious, Junior Pope and three other crew members lost their lives in a boat mishap in the River Niger, Asaba, Delta State.

They were travelling to a movie location.

Following the accident, Precious was buried by the riverbank because his family could not meet the requirements to transport him back home.

But, Precious’ mum pleaded with the Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara to assist in bringing her son’s body back home for a proper burial.

However, in a video shared on his Instagram page, Movie Producer, Stanley Nwoke, showed people preparing the remains of the late sound engineer inside a white coffin for the trip to Rivers.

The filmmaker said Precious’ family, alongside members of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, attended his remains’ exhumation on Tuesday.

Stanley also shared another video of the sound engineer being laid to rest in his hometown in Rivers.

The Federal Government on Wednesday disclosed that it would pay N2.75 today (Wednesday) as compensation to those whose properties are located on the right of way of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, made the disclosure on Wednesday at a stakeholders meeting in Lagos.

According to Umahi, more compensation is expected to be paid in the coming days.

Despite public outcry, Federal Government had recently began the demolition of properties affected by the right of way on the coastal road construction. Some property owners along the right of way, like Landmark Beach, had appealed for the road to be rerouted, saying it was going to affect its business.

Meanwhile, Landmark Africa, the parent company of the beach, has expressed dismay over the demolition of some parts of the beach.

The company said that what took it six years to build was destroyed in six hours.

“What a journey! What we built in 6 years was destroyed in 6 hours,” the company said via its X handle.

“We are overwhelmed at the show of support we have received from Landmark Citizens and all our partners. Thank you for standing with us and believing in our mission and cause so far. This is not the end!”

The 700 kilometers coastal road connects nine states, with two spurs leading up north.

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called on the nation’s workforce to redouble their efforts towards enhancing national development and productivity.

Mrs Tinubu made this known on Wednesday, in her address to mark the 2024 International Workers Day celebration.

She said, “I acknowledge the immense contributions of our nation’s workforce which is renowned for its dedication, resilience, and innovation.”

The first lady urged citizens to not only celebrate but also to contemplate how they can contribute to a more efficient and productive workforce.

“Today, let us not only celebrate work but also reflect on how we can be a better and more productive workforce.

“On this Workers’ Day, I celebrate the spirit of work with pride. May it continue to be a source of strength, prosperity, and national progress for Nigeria.

“I therefore salute the teachers who nurture young minds, the farmers who cultivate our land, the doctors and nurses who safeguard our health,” she acknowledged.

Furthermore, Mrs. Tinubu extended her appreciation to engineers and countless other professionals whose efforts contribute to the nation’s development.

She said, “I salute the engineers who build our infrastructure, and countless others who dedicate their skills and energy to building a better Nigeria.”

The first lady reiterated her commitment to supporting initiatives aimed at fostering a more vibrant and productive workforce, emphasizing the role of each person in Nigeria’s journey towards progress and prosperity.

The chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has described the devaluation of the naira from ₦460 to ₦1,400 as the biggest mess of the year 2023.

According to him, the devaluation had a great impact on the company’s performances.

Naija News reports he made the submission on Tuesday while speaking to attendees at the yearly general assembly of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc.

Dangote, who said his outfit is working hard at getting out of the situation, added that many other companies, particularly those in the food and beverages sector, have also been impacted and may face challenges in distributing dividends.

“We are doing whatever it takes to make sure that at the end of the day, we will be paying dividends because if you look at our dividends last year, it was almost 50 percent more so we will try and get out of the mess,”

“The biggest mess created was actually the devaluation of the naira from N460 to N1,400.

“You can see almost 97 percent of the companies, especially in food and beverages businesses, none of them will pay dividends this year for sure but, we will try and get out of it as soon as possible.

“We want to see that at the end of the day, no matter how small, we will be able to pay some dividends, especially if there is a rebound of the naira,” he said.

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, Olugbenga Edema, has charged Nigerian workers not to settle for a ₦70,000 minimum wage and suggested raising the country’s minimum wage to ₦250,000 monthly.

Naija News reports that Edema, who was once a governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, made this call in a speech addressing the economic challenges faced by workers across Nigeria, especially in light of the May Day celebrations.

Highlighting the hard work and dedication of Nigerian workers, Edema expressed concern over the adequacy of the current minimum wage amidst escalating living costs.

“On this May Day, we must recognize our workforce’s invaluable contributions. It is crucial that we reflect the harsh economic realities in their wages to ensure their welfare,” he stated.

Edema’s proposal comes at a time when discussions around wage adjustments have become increasingly urgent among labor circles.

He criticized the existing ₦70,000 minimum wage as insufficient, arguing that it does not align with the economic pressures that workers endure daily. According to him, no worker should settle for such an amount when the cost of living continues to rise dramatically.

The governorship aspirant outlined that the proposed ₦250,000 minimum wage, calculated at the rate of ₦1,250 to a dollar, is necessary to provide a decent standard of living and keep up with the economic realities faced by the country’s workers.

Sixteen passengers were burnt beyond recognition in a fatal road accident that occurred along Enugu-Egwegbe-Nsukka road in Enugu State.

The accident occurred Tuesday around 5:20pm, and involved an 18-seater white-coloured Toyota hummer bus with a Bauchi State commercial registration number DAS 215 XA, with the inscription “Masha Allah”.

The accident was attributed to high speed and loss of control, forcing the vehicle to plunge into the fence of Maduka University.

The Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the incident.

He said, “A preliminary investigation reveals that the vehicle unfortunately burst into flames burning beyond recognition. The sixteen deceased individuals were taken to the hospital and confirmed dead.

“However, two other passengers were rescued alive and taken to the hospital for medical attention by police officers, soldiers and public-spirited citizens, who immediately responded to the incident.”

THE WHISTLER reports that the vehicle, loaded with edible vegetables, other food items, and the luggage of the passengers, was heading towards Nsukka from the Enugu axis of the road.

The PPRO said, “The actual point of take-off and final destination of the vehicle have not been ascertained. Nonetheless, the items have been recovered by the Igbo-Etiti Police Division.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, in company of officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, visited the scene, and described the accident and the carnage therein as sad.

He commiserated with the yet-to-be-traced family members, friends, and associates of the deceased, and called on individuals that can help in identifying the victims or with information to trace the family members of the deceased to come forward with such information.