Nigerian chess champion Tunde Onakoya has recorded another notable milestone, becoming the first Nigerian to compete against Finland’s Helsinki Chess Club.
In the highly competitive encounter, Onakoya faced the club’s top International Master and delivered a composed performance that ended in a hard-fought draw, demonstrating his tactical strength against elite opposition.
The result marks another proud moment for Nigeria’s growing presence in international chess, reinforcing Onakoya’s reputation as one of the country’s leading ambassadors of the game.
Chess itself traces its origins to ancient India around the 6th century, where an early form of the game known as chaturanga was played. From there, it spread to Persia, the Arab world, and later Europe, gradually evolving into the modern form of chess played globally today.
In Nigeria, organised chess began gaining momentum in the 1970s, particularly after the formation of the Nigeria Chess Federation in 1975, which helped formalise competitions and promote the game across the country. Since then, Nigerian players have increasingly made their mark on the continental and global stage.
Today, figures like Tunde Onakoya represent a new wave of Nigerian chess excellence, using the game not only to compete internationally but also to inspire thousands of young Nigerians to discover the power of strategy, discipline, and imagination through chess.
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