In a world where talent often goes unnoticed in the shadows of poverty, Tunde Onakoya refused to stay hidden.
Born and raised in the slums of Ikorodu, Lagos, Tunde Onakoya grew up surrounded by lack. He saw it every day — the weight of survival on children’s faces, the hopelessness that came from being told “this is all you’ll ever be.” School was a luxury many couldn’t afford, and dreams often died before they could take shape.
But in the middle of that chaos, Tunde discovered something unusual — a chessboard. At the time, it wasn’t about becoming a grandmaster. It was about finding a way to think beyond his circumstances. Chess gave him more than a game — it gave him vision, strategy, patience, and control in a life that had offered him none.
He became obsessed, practicing with bottle caps and makeshift boards, watching YouTube videos in cyber cafés when he could afford it. He played not just to win, but to understand life better. And slowly, that game started to transform him.
Tunde eventually gained admission into Yaba College of Technology, where he represented his school and won gold at the Nigeria Polytechnic Games. But his greatest win wasn’t a medal — it was realizing that this game could change more than just his life.
In 2018, he founded Chess in Slums Africa — a nonprofit that teaches underprivileged kids how to play chess, while also providing them with education, mentorship, and opportunity. His goal was simple: to show children in the slums that they matter, that they can be more.
And it worked.
Children who once begged for food started competing in national chess tournaments. Some got scholarships. Others got noticed by the world. The same streets that raised him became the same places where hope was reborn — because someone came back for them.
Then in 2024, Tunde made history again. He set a world record by playing chess nonstop for 60 hours in Times Square, New York — not for fame, but to raise funds for African children who needed education. People from around the world watched, donated, and cheered. Not because he was the best player — but because his heart was impossible to ignore.
Tunde Onakoya’s story reminds us:
- You don’t need to be rich to start helping others.
- You don’t need to be perfect to make a difference.
- And no matter where you come from, your story is valid, powerful, and capable of rewriting history.
He’s not just a chess player.
He’s a visionary. A fighter. A boy from the slums who became a global symbol of what’s possible.
Have you ever felt limited by your background or environment?
Tunde’s story proves: your past may explain you but it doesn’t define you.
