News
How I redefined ‘area boy’ as a kid – Chess master, Tunde Onakoya
Popular chess master, Tunde Onakoya, said he redefined the word ‘area boy’, believed to be a derogatory term used to refer to a thug or lout.
Speaking at a TEDx Talks event held at the Nile University of Nigeria in 2023, a clip of which went viral on Wednesday, Onakoya said he was also an area boy, and that’s why he is wearing an indigenous cap on a suit.
He said, “I am also an area boy; I mean, for a very long time, the term ‘area boy’ has been known to be a derogatory word that is being used to refer to the thugs, hoodlums and criminals in Lagos.
But we’re able to redefine what that meant, and a lot of us became area boys for the sake of some people, and I’ll tell you that story.
“So, some 16 years ago, I was at home, I had just completed my primary school education, and my mom called me and told me that I would have to stop school because they just couldn’t afford tuition anymore, and I had to stay at home so my brother could go to school and that was going to be the end of education for me.
“I wasn’t a very brilliant kid in primary school; I mean, I could not even speak good English at the end of my primary school because the school I went to was a ‘Pako’ one where they taught in Yoruba and we had to sit on the floor. So, I was really struggling, and my teachers would call me ‘olodo’. So it was the easy way out, okay, so no school, so I dropped out of school, and I was at home for two years after my primary school education.”
Onakoya said he was learning how to fix refrigerators as an apprentice, and something happened.
He added, “There was this barbing salon just on the other side of our street, and I would go there to play video games at the end of the day. Then, on one of those days, the barber just brought out a small plastic chess set, and I’d never seen a chessboard before.
“I was a very curious kid, so I asked what this was, and he said it was a chess set. I’d never seen one before, but I was fascinated by the way the pieces were carved, so I told him to teach me because I wanted to learn how to play because I would see him just sit down and talk to himself all right and it would say crazy stuff like well if you play this game you’ll be very intelligent, you’ll be very smart, and I told him to please teach me, and he said no I was too young and he didn’t teach me. So, I was just watching him play with his friends, and with time, because I was a very curious kid, I was able to pick up the rules of the game.
“I learned how to play chess by watching. At the time, it didn’t occur to me that I had made the most important decision of my life, but then it became clear that something had happened, and I went back to school; my mom had to make a sacrifice for me, and I returned.
“Fortunately, the secondary school I attended had chess as a subject, I had never seen that before. We learned chess as a subject and we wrote exams because I think the owner of the school then was the United Nations Ambassador to Kenya and he played competitively when he was younger and that was how I found the gift of chess.
“I kept playing, and I got really good, and my coach discovered that I was a really good, gifted child. I remember my coach telling me that I was gifted, and I believed it. That was the first thing that I learned as a kid who grew up in poverty in the slums of Ikorodu in Lagos. I found an identity, and it wasn’t just any identity; it was an intellectual identity. I began playing professionally, and I was ranked one of the top players in Nigeria, and I finished school in 2015.
“I won a lot of tournaments. I won the Trevor and Chess Challenge, the national friends of chess. I was a really strong player who wanted to become a grand master. I started teaching chess to private schools just like I’d learned, and I’d never thought of it before. But in that period when I thought of teaching chess to children, it made me realize that chess was an important educational resource for children who struggled with their self-esteem and everything else.”
Onakoya added that he thought about using the game to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor kids and decided to take chess boards to the slum to engage the boys believed to be area boys.
“I had challenges with teaching the boys who had never been to school, but believe me, they learnt at an incredible pace. What would take a master a year to learn was learnt by them in a month.
“They beat the other kids from rich schools and won trophies at national and international levels. They even got the toast of notable people to play with them, including the former Manchester United captain, Patrice Evra,” he said.
Onakoya set a new Guinness World Record for the longest marathon chess on Saturday, April 20, 2024.
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has proposed the establishment of a National Security and Intelligence Trust Fund as a strategic solution to Nigeria’s security funding challenges.
Chairman of House Committee on National Security and Intelligenc, Rep. Ahmad Satomi, stated this at a public hearing on “A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ESTABLISH NIGERIAN SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE TRUST FUND TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR SECURITY RELATED ISSUES, APART FROM USUAL BUDGETARY PROVISIONS FROM THE FEDERATION, INTERVENE IN COMBATING SECURITY ISSUES IN NIGERIA AND FOR RELATED MATTERS”, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Rep. Satome who is sponsor of the bill emphasised that the current funding model for intelligence agencies was inadequate.
Rep. Satome stated that while California University operates on a $100 billion budget—30% of which is allocated to research and development—Nigeria’s entire security budget remains significantly lower despite its larger population and pressing security concerns.
According to the piece of legislation, the proposed trust fund is expected to provide alternative financial support for intelligence operations, reducing reliance on annual budgetary allocations. Funding sources for the trust include:
- 1% of the consolidated revenue from the Federation Account.
- Airspace revenue generated from Nigeria’s airspace.
- Unclaimed funds (still under debate due to constitutional concerns).
- Donations and gifts (some stakeholders suggest removing this option to prevent corruption).
The bill is seen as a crucial step toward strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture by ensuring sustainable and efficient funding for intelligence agencies.
The Speaker House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has stated that despite the 205 colleges of education which included federal, state, and privately owned is insufficient to address the country’s educational needs.
Speaking at a public hearing in Abuja on Tuesday, the Speaker emphasised that the rising demand for education in Nigeria makes it necessary to establish more colleges of education.
The Speaker who noted that human capital is the foundation of any society’s development, explained that while material resources are valuable, they remain untapped unless harnessed through human knowledge, skills, and innovation to drive national progress, social mobility, and economic growth.
He further stressed that education was central to human capital development, and a key way to sustain the education system was by continuously producing well-trained and highly skilled teachers for primary and secondary schools.
“To achieve this, we must strengthen teacher education in Nigeria by expanding access to quality institutions that will equip the next generation of educators,” he said.
Speaker Abbas added that the bills under review demonstrate the lawmakers’ collective commitment to ensuring that all regions of the country have fair access to quality teacher education.
According to Abbas, public hearings are a crucial part of the legislative process, giving opportunity for stakeholders to refine proposed bills, and that the discussions would help lawmakers better understand the education sector’s needs and expectations.
He reiterated the commitment of the House to inclusive governance and values stakeholder engagement, and encouraged policymakers, education experts, community leaders, and the public to actively participate by offering insights that could shape policies to strengthen Nigeria’s education system.
Chairman of the House Committee on Colleges of Education, Rep. Adamu Tanko, reaffirmed that education remains the foundation of national development, and assured that the House was committed to ensuring that every Nigerian has access to quality teacher education.
Tanko further highlighted that establishing new federal colleges of education is key to addressing gaps in teacher training, improving the education sector, and building a skilled workforce to drive national development.
He noted that the public hearing provides a platform for policymakers, education experts, and community leaders to engage in meaningful discussions.
House Leader and sponsor of ten related bills, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere, expressed concern over the shortage of qualified teachers in many schools across the country. He stressed the urgency of establishing more teacher training institutions to meet the demand for skilled educators.
Rep. Anamero Dekeri, who is sponsoring a bill to establish the Federal College of Education (Technical) in Ogute-Oke, Okpella, highlighted the importance of technical education in driving national development. Representing Etsako Federal Constituency in Edo State, he stated that the proposed institution would harness the area’s potential and contribute to workforce development.
By Gloria Ikibah
The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Disability Matters, Rep. Bashiru Dawodu, has called for tax exemption for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), insisting they should not be required to pay taxes.
Speaking at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by PWDs in Abuja, Rep. Dawodu also urged the government to grant tax relief to companies employing PWDs and those manufacturing facilities for their use.
The Chairman who acknowledged the need for tax reforms identified loopholes in existing bills, and stated that the committee would push for tax credits and waivers for companies producing equipment for PWDs.
Dawodu also advocated scholarships for teachers involved in special education and the establishment of a disability trust fund to protect the interests of PWDs.
He expressed concern over the poor implementation of the 2018 Disability Act, which has a five-year moratorium, stating that both government agencies and the private sector have not diligently enforced its provisions. He revealed that the House was working on amendments to impose stricter penalties for non-compliance.
The lawmaker highlighted some key provisions of the Act, including accessibility to public buildings, transport terminals, education, and healthcare facilities. He noted that despite the creation of the Disability Commission, only 22 states have domesticated the Act, urging others to follow suit.
Dawodu criticized the inadequate budget allocation of about N2 billion to the Disability Commission, describing it as a sign of the government’s neglect of PWDs. He stressed the need for collaboration with NGOs and other organizations, noting that with over 35 million Nigerians living with disabilities, the country must do more.
Director of the PWD’s Potential Unhinged Project, Valentine Ugochukwu Zion, stated that the MoU includes a nationwide medical access support initiative for PWDs in underserved areas. He added that it also covers talent discovery, a reality TV show showcasing the resilience of PWDs, and an inclusive musical concert.
Reps Push for National Security Trust Fund to Boost Intelligence Funding
Reps Push for More Colleges Of Education to Strengthen Nigeria’s Education Sector
Reps Advocate Tax Exemption, Better Support for Persons With Disabilities
Just in: Terrorists ambush military truck, kill all soldiers on board
Nigerian Dancer, Korra Obidi Attacked with acid, stabbed on stage In UK
Meet Rare Gem 16 Years Old Chiaza, CEO of ‘RUN MARKET PLACE’
-
Metro18 hours agoGunmen attack Edo farming communities kill dozens, destroy properties
-
Metro18 hours agoMan takes girlfriend’s life while beating her
-
News14 hours agoSEE Black Market Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate Today 26th February 2025
-
News14 hours agoJust in: David Setonji May Become New LSHA Speaker Meranda To Step Down
-
News17 hours agoNigeria ‘ll soon get accurate headcount as Tinubu sets up Census Committee
-
News18 hours agoIBB in his controversial book narrates how he met his wife, Maryam
-
News10 hours agoT-Plan Warns About Rising Drug Addiction Among Youths, Housewives
-
News14 hours agoUniversity student dr0wns in Bayelsa creek over N300 bet