Nigeria Chess Federation Hires Chess Grandmaster

Nigeria National Chess Teams, already in Chennai for the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India taking place from July 28 to August 10, 2022 is set for a remarkable outing.  

According to the President of the Nigeria Chess Federation, Mr. Sani Mohammed DIG rtd., a foreign Grandmaster Trainer, Mr. Dibyendu Barua has been hired to ensure the team puts up a superlative performance at the Olympiad. 

Preliminary discussions and negotiations started between the Grandmaster Trainer and the NCF President when Mr. Mohammed went to India for the unveiling of the games torch in June, 2022.

For the first time ever an Olympic-style torch relay which travelled across India was conducted ahead of the 44th Chess Olympiad. The torch relay will henceforth be a regular feature at the prestigious event. It will in subsequent editions begin in India, the birth place of chess, and will travel across all continents before reaching the host city, the world governing body of the sport FIDE announced.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, said of this new tradition: “Chess is one of the oldest sports in the world, and its traditions are centuries old. We have the privilege of adding an important tradition to the chess heritage so that more people who love chess will have a way to connect with the sport. It’s also hugely important to the chess players who dedicate their lives to the sport - they are true athletes, and taking part in the Torch Relay ceremony means a lot to them.”

The Vice President of the NCF,  Prince Adeyinka Adewole confirmed that the contract between GM Barua and the NCF was signed last week. The GM is expected to join the teams In Chennai. 

Dibyendu Barua, born 27 October 1966, is an Indian is a three-time Indian Chess Champion. He was the second Indian, after Viswanathan Anand, second Bengali after Niaz Murshed, and third South Asian after Niaz and Anand to achieve the title of Chess Grandmaster.

The Secretary General of the Nigeria Chess Federation Mrs. Olabowale Adedayo-Adeosun explained that the Nigeria National Teams arrived ahead of other participating teams to enable the Grandmaster have quality time with the teams before the commencement of the tournament on the 29th. 

The current National Chess Champion International Master Olufemi Balogun confirmed that the teams are in high spirit and are ready to put up their best performance to justify the tremendous investments of the Federation on the teams.

The current female National Chess Champion Perpetual Ogbiyoyo excitedly confirmed the readiness to put Nigeria’s name on the global map by winning laurels for Nigeria at the Olympiad. In her own words, “It is going to be tough but, we are prepared.”

The questions we put forward is will a Grandmaster from the host country help our teams win against the hist teams? Will our teams or the Grandmaster justify the investment? Time will tell.

Reporting for Eagle Eye

Omolola Omoteso

Amsterdam