Tanitoluwa Adewumi: A Chess Player Par Excellence

Excellence is the deliberate effort to achieve a dream. Tanitoluwa Adewumi is an excellent achiever. At age 11, he stands tall among his peers as a fantastic chess player.

Who is Tanitoluwa Adewumi?

Born on September 3, 2010, Adewumi is a Nigerian-American chess player who got into the United States with his family as refugees.

He is the son of Kayode and Oluwatoyin Adewumi, devoted Christians who sought asylum in the United States due to the attacks by Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram, in Northern Nigeria.

In early 2018, he played in his first tournament. His performance was quite impressive which got him commendations from his coaches.

Competitions

In March 2019, he competed in the 52nd Annual New York State Scholastic Championships in Saratoga Springs, New York. He won the event outright with a score of 5.5/6 (five wins, one draw, no losses). This made him to become the 28th youngest chess player in history to do so.

Read Also: Faith Odunsi: A Mathematician Par Excellence

In August, 2021, he won the under-12 division of the North American Youth Chess Championship with a score of 8/9. Also, in April 2022, he scored 7.0/9 in the New York Spring Invitational Norm event.

Accolades

His achievements have been recognized by some notable personalities in the world. Former U.S. President, Bill Clinton, described Adewumi as one with a winning spirit.

He said, “’Refugees enrich our nation and talent is universal, even if opportunity is not.’ This story made me smile. Tanitoluwa, you exemplify a winning spirit – in chess and in life. And kudos to your hardworking parents. You all should stop by my office in Harlem; I’d love to meet you.”

Former world chess champion, Garry Kasparov, wrote in The Washington Post in 2019, “Whether Tani breaks my record of becoming, at age 22 in 1985, the youngest world champion, I wish him every success. But regardless of whether he succeeds, his achievement has already reached millions of people.

“The new numbers game of clicks and like is working its viral magic. There are kids all over the world right now looking at online chess lessons because they want to be like Tanitoluwa, not Kasparov or Carlsen. The talent is out there, waiting for opportunity to find it.”

Likewise, Chairman of Nigeria in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Uzoma Emenike have commended the brilliance of the young champ.

Adewumi’s ambition is to become the youngest ever chess grandmaster. His dedication to excellence is quite notable. He inspires hope, not only for himself and his family, but for other kids who have dreams and goals to accomplish. A great chess player he is, truly.