Nigerian chess champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, Tunde Onakoya, has responded to the wave of criticism trailing his recent visit to President Bola Tinubu, making it clear that the meeting was not an endorsement of any political interest.
Onakoya met with the president on Monday and presented his Guinness World Record certificate for the longest chess marathon.
The meeting, however, sparked backlash online, with many accusing Onakoya of aligning himself with the political establishment.
In a statement on his verified X account on Wednesday, Onakoya addressed the reactions, describing the range of emotions as valid, but insisted he had no political motive.
He explained that being received by the president in recognition of his achievement was not a crime and emphasised that it was not a national honour.
He distanced himself from partisan politics, stating that the nature of his work requires neutrality. He said if that position ever changed, he would step down as CEO of Chess in Slums Africa.
He also dismissed the notion that the relevance of his initiative is rooted in governance failure.
According to him, the project’s core aim is to use chess as a tool for cognitive development and academic improvement, particularly for children who have been excluded from formal education.
He noted that what many see as charitable work is, in fact, a dignified effort to equip children with critical thinking skills and integrate them into educational or vocational systems.
Emphasising that visits to public figures do not equate to endorsements, he noted that he would continue to engage with various stakeholders and sell his chess boards.
He also disclosed that Chess in Slums Africa had operated for seven years without applying for or receiving international grants.
He wrote, “1. The anger, the hate, the love, the applause, the criticism, all of it is valid and I embrace it.
“2. I am a world record holder which means I have attained something no one else in the world has ever done. I was recently honored and awarded by the city of New York.
“To be honored and received by the President and the highest office in my own country for this reason is not a crime. (It is not even a national honor by the way).
“I have declined many awards.
“Comparing me to people who have received awards and recognition from countries that have committed war crimes is at best laughable.
”3. I have no interest in partisan politics because of the sensitivity of the work that I do. If that ever changes, then I would resign my role as CEO of chess in slums Africa.
“4. The rhetoric that Chess in slums only exists or is relevant because of bad governance is not accurate. The real impact of our work is in the synapses. We’re using chess as a tool to teach cognition and improve academic outcomes. Using it as a social intervention tool is because those children have fallen through the cracks and cannot make it to the classrooms. This is not charity or “NGO”. What most of you measure as the most tangible impact is we just dignifying the stories of the children you see all the time on the streets but pay no attention to. The real impact here is ensuring they have the critical capacity to think for themselves and putting them through formal or vocational education.
“I continue to consult with educational institutions and tech companies around the world, so my work will always be relevant and whatever resource or influence that gives me, I will use all of it to serve the children who deserve a place in the world as well.
“5. A visit is not an endorsement. I will visit many more people and will continue to sell my chess boards.
“6. You may not understand my intentions or character because the only thing you know about me is what I let on social media. But reputation is not character.
“It’s been 10 long years of staying with this one thing, so I know for a fact that I have earned the benefit of the doubt.
“7. Again, I embrace the love and the hate. But I care for none of it.
“In a decade or two, the Chess/STEM institute will stand and it will be a place where thousands of children will dream again and be educated in a way that makes them valuable to the world.
“All the strong opinions we have now falls flat in the face of this.
“8. Finally, I appreciate everyone who has ever supported the incredible work we’ve done in the last 7 years. We have never applied or received any international grants in this time.
“9. We’ve been working with the Lagos state government for about a year now to take kids from Jakande and Isale Eko off the streets. One of them recently graduated from furniture school and is living again. Our collective hurt is valid and we may disagree on politics but there are actual lives at stake and we all have a role to play in whatever capacity to stop this hemorrhage. Yes we will partner with the government to scale this impact and institutionalize it so Tunde stops being the hero of the story. It’s your tax anyway.
“10. Finally I’d say this, My fight is different.
“I’m not on the fence. I took a stand 10 years ago for the country I want to see.
“The truth is I will do many more things that may challenge your perception of me, but I know my heart is in the right place and whatever rooms my vision gives me access to, I will put the dreams and needs of the children first.
“I live for the audience of one, and that is enough.
