CELESTIAL ZENNY

It’s been an underwhelming year for me. I’ve struggled to regain my form while dealing with issues in both the Nigerian chess administration and my personal life. The African Individual Chess Championship took a lot out of me. I was playing so poorly that, at one point, I thought it would be the last time I ever played chess. A few months later, I had to withdraw from the Olympiad team because it clashed with my final examinations. The administration showed little to no concern and even ignored my message requesting some form of consolation regarding my outstanding Zone 4.2, 2025 prize money. I moved on, graduated, and decided to make a comeback to chess. I wanted to get myself back into the right mental and competitive shape to defend my national title. Then, on October 15, the NCF announced a new qualification format for this year’s National Chess Championship, scheduled for December. There had been no prior indication that such a change was coming, yet the new format effectively abandons a five-year qualification structure that guaranteed the reigning champion an opportunity to defend his title. Perhaps it’s far-fetched, but it’s difficult not to feel that some of the decisions made by this administration have been particularly frustrating for me. The title of National Champion has carried barely any weight. I received no support to participate in the African Individual Chess Championship, despite being told that such support was one of the benefits of winning the national title. We talk about producing a Grandmaster in Nigeria, yet this administration’s actions often give the impression that the welfare and development of players are not a priority. Decisions are made without sufficient consideration for the people who keep the game alive. Over the last five years, we’ve witnessed an influx of junior players capable of competing with veterans and more experienced players. The provision of an automatic qualification slot for the highest-rated junior player was one initiative that made Nigerian chess more competitive and created opportunities for young players who were committed to the game. These are the kinds of initiatives that encourage participation, reward commitment, and help develop the next generation. How do we expect players to grow, improve, and eventually produce a Grandmaster under these circumstances? Nigerian chess deserves better. The players deserve better. And the people entrusted with administering the game must begin to act in the best interests of those they serve. As the reigning National Chess Champion, I feel it is necessary to speak up about these issues. They have persisted for far too long without being adequately addressed publicly. Decisions that negatively affect players are made without sufficient transparency or accountability, and everyone is simply expected to accept them and move on. I believe it is time we had an honest conversation about the state of Nigerian chess and the way it is being administered. Remaining silent will only allow these problems to continue.