THE STORY OF CHESS CHAMPIONS FROM OSHODI UNDERBRIDGE

By Tunde Onakoya (@Tunde_OD on Twitter)

Adeoye Fawaz, an 18 year old boy who works as a bus conductor and has lived years of his life Under oshodi bridge emerged as our overall champion in both chess and mental maths.

A star is born.

It was impossible to hold back tears in this moment when oshodi came to a complete standstill to celebrate our newly crowned chess champion.

The final phase of the Mental maths competition was fast and furious but Fawaz aced the questions.

Now imagine if you gave these boys a proper education?!
Imagine if you gave them coding?!
Imagine how many of them we've lost to the streets because no one paid attention.

I took the pictures (Third and fourth frame) of Fawaz about a month ago when we saw him for the first time and wrote down his name.
He mentioned that his dream was to become a musician and a comedian�

Who could have thought that he was an Untold story

His dreams are valid ♥️

Everyday for two weeks, we taught them our mantra and made them believe that it was possible to do great things from a small place.♥️

It bothered us so much to see them wear the same clothes (Rags) everyday for almost a month so we thought about what we could do to give them a new look on the tournament day.

So we brought in a Barber to give them nice haircuts and a stylist to take their measurements.

We styled them in classy Native attires with Fìlà and new shoes to match their Owambe swag.

They switched up very quickly from rags to royalty.
This simple gesture of love is a reflection of what their future could really look like if we gave them equal opportunities to thrive.

The grand entry was so beautiful
Cars came to a halt
Market women cheered for them

Everyone wanted to associate with them�

We gave them the gift of chess.

Because where the mind goes, everything follows.

The Nigerian National Chess champion- International Master Femi Balogun was impressed by their performance and had a heart to heart talk with them after the games to inspire them on their journey towards chess mastery.

And for the ones we subconsciously tag deplorable criminals and refer to as the scourge of society, they were critical to the entire success of this project and none of this would have been possible without their commitment to our activities.

We forget that they're humans too♥️

Tope was the only girl in the midst of the 51 children we trained, she's incredibly smart but has lived a horrible experience trying to survive on her own out here.

She now lives with one of our volunteers and will be enrolled in a school next year.

51 homeless children in one of the most dangerous ghettos in Nigeria showed up everyday for our chess training because they saw an opportunity to learn- A new lease of hope.
Some of are them orphans,while some ran away from their villages to seek greener pastures in Lagos.

During our mentorship sessions with them, they confided in us about some of the terrible vices they've committed in the past but they have shown great remorse and a willingness to follow a new path.
We created a Database for everyone we trained between the ages of 11-20.

We're already in contact with Shelter homes, rehabilitation centres and Orphanages while working out modalities to enroll them and mapping out a financial plan to cater for their education/Skills acquisition for at least the next one year.

I now carry a great burden in my heart for those 51 children because now I know their names and I have seen what they can truly become if given an opportunity to let their light shine.

Even if it means going to sleep under the bridge with them....

We're far too disconnected from the realities of these people we call "Area boys".
Often than less, we underestimate the power of kindness. We query the security of our country whilst inadvertently turning a blind eye to the dreams of these little ones.

For most of us, the Oshodi bridge is just a means from point A to B, but for these people, it's the only home they'll ever know.

This is a call to action for all of us.

The only future worth dreaming of is one that includes all them�♥️

We're all Area boys!

Let's do this.

If you're in Nigeria, you can donate to:
0491316991
GTBank
Chess In Slums Initiative

If you're outside Nigeria, you can donate to our GoFundMe page:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/chess-education-in-africa

Partnerships:

chessinslums@gmail.com

chessinslumsafrica@partnerships.com

Source: https://twitter.com/Tunde_OD/status/1470770274333302797?s=19

Cc: Seun, Lalasticlala, Mynd44, Fynestboi, MissyB3

Mods, Kindly help us move this front page. God bless.

More Pictures

I did this documentary to support this cause.. I have no link with the initiative but believe that this one of the little ways, we can use to better the lives of these kids and to support Tunde better. These boys have the ability to do great things if we all can rise up to this.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RZ3vCCYqGc

Great

Digitallegendzx:
Great

Thanks

Wonderful Initiative.
Just like in the movie, Queen of Katwe.
I hope that well meaning Nigerians can donate to the cause so that it will last.

wow!

this is lovely

someone is about to use some people intelligence to cash out

Mood11:
Wonderful Initiative.
Just like in the movie, Queen of Katwe.
I hope that well meaning Nigerians can donate to the cause so that it will last.

We hope too.