24 players jostle for National Champions as 2023 Nigeria National Chess Championships opens in Lagos

Posted : 03 October 2023

24 players across Nigeria are set to jostle to emerge as national champions as the 3rd 2023 Nigeria National Chess Championships begins in Lagos. The 2023 Nigeria National Chess Championships were declared open by the President of the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), DIG Sani Usman, rtd. The National Chess Championships are hosted by Orchids Hotels in Lekki, Lagos.

The 24 players include 12 males and 12 females. The list of male participants includes Abdulraheem Akinlofe, Oladapo Adu, Daniel Akinseye, Oluwafemi Balogun, Goodness Ekunike, Emmanuel Idara, Callistus Eyetonghan, Ferdinand Nyuima, Bomo Kigga, Toluwani Okemakinde, Olanrewaju Ajibola, and Tennyson Olisa. The female participants are: Chemuche Diachaube, Felix Erhabor, Bridget Michael, Nwankwo Michael, Treasure Nzeako, Toritsemuwa Ofowino, Olabisi Oluwaseun, Joy Onoja, Olayinka Oyelese, Quickpen Ebimobo, Rosemary Amadasun, and Ayisha Suleiman.

The host and Chief Executive Officer of Orchids Hotel, Engr. Jonathan Odega, said that Nigeria would soon produce grandmasters in chess. ''It's remarkable that we are having this gradual development of chess in Nigeria. We have seen the game grow more in Nigeria and with more support.

''We will continue to give the game of chess the much-needed support it deserves to create avenues for more development.

'' I can say with confidence that in the next three years or more, Nigeria should have produced grandmasters in chess. "It is a dream we can all work to achieve within this period," he said.

The President of NCF, DIG Sani Usman rtd, said that the federation would continue to push for a better atmosphere for the game to thrive in Nigeria.

''When I returned as the President of Chess, what I did was to delegate powers to those that were capable of supervising the game.

''The 2023 Nigeria National Chess Championships were uniquely different because we only had those who were playing chess actively competing for the National Champions.

''The basis for qualifications this time is not ranking; those playing in this tournament are the ones that have qualified from the six zones we have, except one zone that could not have theirs.

''The zones have to source a minimum of N5 million to organise their various challenges, and thank God we are able to achieve that,'' he said.

24 players jostle for National Champions as 2023 Nigeria National Chess Championships opens in Lagos

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics