Tunde Onakoya Reaffirms Apolitical Stance, Defends Tinubu Visit

 Nigerian chess grandmaster Tunde Onakoya, founder of Chess in Slums, firmly rejected partisan politics on June 9, 2025, declaring that visiting President Bola Tinubu was “not a crime” after a State House meeting in Abuja sparked controversy.

Addressing critics on Arise TV, Onakoya clarified the visit sought support for his nonprofit’s mission to empower underserved youth through chess, not to endorse Tinubu’s administration. His stance, reported by Punch, navigates Nigeria’s polarized climate, where public figures face scrutiny for engaging with political leaders, highlighting Onakoya’s delicate balance as a global youth icon.

Onakoya, who set a 60-hour chess marathon record in New York’s Times Square in 2024, met Tinubu to secure funding for expanding Chess in Slums, which has taught 10,000 children across Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda. The initiative, launched in Lagos’s Makoko slum, uses chess to foster critical thinking, with beneficiaries like 12-year-old Adebayo Tobi earning scholarships. Critics, citing Tinubu’s fuel subsidy removal, accused Onakoya of aligning with an unpopular regime, with social media posts branding him a “sellout.” Onakoya countered, “My loyalty is to Nigeria’s children, not parties,” emphasizing his meetings with PDP’s Atiku and LP’s Peter Obi for similar causes.

Tinubu pledged ₦100 million for Chess in Slums, per State House sources, with Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu endorsing Onakoya’s “transformative work.” Supporters, including UNICEF’s Nigeria envoy, praised his neutrality, while detractors demanded he reject government funds. Onakoya’s global profile, recognized by Time’s 2024 Most Influential People, amplifies his voice, with his Lagos chess festival planned for August 2025. The controversy, reflecting Nigeria’s divisive politics, underscores the challenges of social impact work, as Onakoya remains steadfast in his apolitical mission to uplift marginalized communities.