Jamiu Ninilowo, a young chess player from Ikorodu, Lagos, has won the gold medal at the 2025 United Nations Chess Tournament in New York.
Defeating more than 200 USCF-rated players, his win includes a $500 scholarship.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Jamiu expressed gratitude to Tunde Onakoya, the Chess in Slums Africa team, and others who supported his journey. “Yes! I did it! Not just for myself, but for Nigeria and Africa as a whole,” he wrote. “All thanks to God, Tunde Onakoya, and Chess in Slums. I will forever be grateful.”
Onakoya posted earlier this week, “Today, my heart is overwhelmed with a joy words can barely hold. Mama Jamiu, your boys are doing well. I kept my promise. I always will.”
Following the tournament, The Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed, hosted Jamiu, Onakoya, and the kids from Chess in Slums Africa at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Jamiu’s journey began in 2018 when he was discovered by Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian chess champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa.
At the time, Jamiu was working as a roadside mechanic in Majidun, a community in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State. Onakoya had invited Jamiu and his younger brother Ayomide to participate in his weekend chess academy, an initiative to empower underprivileged children through chess.
According to Onakoya, Jamiu and his brother were being raised by their single mother, who had lost her leg in an accident while scavenging for recyclable materials to support the family. Their father had reportedly abandoned the family when Jamiu was born. In 2019, their mother fell critically ill and, before her passing, requested that Onakoya take care of her children.
Following her death, Onakoya took in both Jamiu and Ayomide, enrolled them in school, and continued to mentor them. Jamiu developed quickly into a skilled chess player, while Ayomide excelled in athletics and is currently in his final year of secondary school.
Jamiu’s story is an example of how access to education, mentorship, and structured extracurricular activities can change the trajectory of young lives, even under difficult socioeconomic circumstances.
Jamiu is now completing his university education and continues to represent Nigeria in international chess competitions.
