One of the most difficult places in the world to live in are the slums of Makoko, Nigeria. Popularly dubbed as the “Venice of Africa”, the community is built above water, making the living conditions there harrowing to witness.
Often times children will grow up surrounded by polluted water and are forced to become fishermen as adults.
“A slum is just a place. It does not define the people who live there.” – Tunde Onakoya, Chess In Slums Founder.
RELATED ARTICLE: Meet Ferdinand, Nigeria’s Champion Chess Player
7 things to know about chess prodigy Ferdinand Maumo
Location
Ferdinand Maumo lives at Makoko with his family, his father is a fisherman and his mother a petty trader. One of the most difficult places in the world to live in are the slums of Makoko, Nigeria. Popularly dubbed as the “Venice of Africa”, the community is built above water, making the living conditions there harrowing to witness.
Education
They barely make enough money to feed daily, hence the reason why Fredinard and his three siblings do not go to school. Neither Ferdinand nor his siblings attended any school or teaching.
Health
Ferdinand has Cerebral Palsy (CP), which refers to a group of disorders that affect muscle movement and coordination. In many cases, vision, hearing, and sensation are also affected. Cerebral palsy is due to abnormal brain development, often before birth.
Chess
Ferdinand deeply inspired the foundation (Chess In Slums) with his quick learning and deep understanding of the game very fast.
On May 22, less than a month after learning the game, Ferdinand won the junior section of a local tournament on the full score. His new mates learned to respect him on the board and cherish him as a friend.
Ferdinand turned out to be a chess savant and even went on to win his section in the chess tournament in the final day of the journey.
Chess Match With Lagos State Governor
Ferdinand was invited on Tuesday, June 15th, 2021 to the Lagos Statehouse for a chess match against the State Governor, Sanwo Olu, the game was a deeply strategic one that lasted for more than 30 minutes and ended in a stalemate (draw).
It was a keenly contested duel and the governor was no pushover. For a boy who only learnt chess in all its complexities for just two weeks, his genius shined through the entire game and the Governor was very impressed by his performance.
Award/Prize
Governor Sanwo-Olu gave him ₦1million cash and has placed him and all his siblings on lifelong scholarship support up until their university education.
He also promised to help relocate them from the slums of Makoko to a state-owned apartment in the city to begin a new life.
Family’s reaction
Ferdinand’s family were happy about his acomplishments. His mother Jesuwame told the organization that “at first I was sceptical, because he kept going to the chess club, but then I thought that it’s better for him to play chess than to roam around the streets.”
When Ferdinand played his first tournament, she was so excited that she wore her best outfit for the occasion and went to support him. “I cried joyful tears on that day, as I saw that my child was no longer the joke of the community, but had become a small local hero.”
“He is more grounded at home and he’s even teaching chess to his little brother. The other mothers of Makoko come to congratulate him. Now I can hope that he will become something in life,” she concluded.
