Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya took home a brand-new NORD A7 SUV after emerging victorious in a chess match against the founder and CEO of Nord Motion, Oluwatobi Ajayi. This win also earned Onakoya a brand ambassador role at the automobile firm.
Onakoya, who recently set a new Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon, shared the news and pictures on X.com on Thursday. He revealed that Ajayi called him on Wednesday, inviting him for a chat and a chess match, with the promise that Onakoya could choose any car from Nord Motion’s showroom for free if he won.
“Knowing he was a strong chess player from our previous game analyses (Although we had never played before), I accepted the challenge. After about an hour of intense play, I managed to win from a very complex position,” Onakoya said.
Expressing his delight, Onakoya wrote, “This all still feels surreal, but I’m thrilled to announce that I am now a global brand ambassador for #nordmotion motors and the proud owner of a NORD A7 SUV built and assembled in Nigeria. Life really isn’t scripted, and I’m super grateful to be able to use my gift to inspire the world and affect lives positively. This has inadvertently brought a lot of goodness my way too, and this love is one I’ll never take for granted.”
Ajayi also commented on the match, sharing pictures and writing, “I played a really good game of chess against #Tunde_OD for about an hour. It was a very interesting game that I almost won.”
In a separate post, Onakoya shared a touching story about his father, writing, “Just before I travelled to America, I called my dad and gave him my only car. He had sold his taxi 13 years ago so I could pay for my WAEC and JAMB examination fees. The joy on his face brought tears; it was the least I could do for my parents, who sacrificed everything so I could get an education. It wasn’t clear how I was going to get a new car without spending a fortune, but I had faith.”
