Nigeria’s female number one chess player, Jessica Pelomoh was the star attraction at the sixth edition of the PwC Chess4Change mentorship programme held in Lagos recently.
Pelomoh, who was an alumna of the PwC Chess4Change mentorship programme shown like a million stars in the two-day event held at the Dolphin High School, Lagos Island and Immaculate Heart Comprehensive High School, Maryland.
The highest FIDE rated Nigerian female player shined brightly when she was simul pited against student representatives from schools from the Lagos Island and Mainland in the PwC Chess4Change programme.
In her remarks, the Lagos State Polythenic student and a beneficiary of the 2016 edition of the Chess4Change programme, urged students to continue to practice and constantly aim to improve in the game.
Pelomoh said her first contact with the game was in early 2016 at the Chess4Change tourney, stressing that, she went on to qualifying to represent Nigeria at the African Youth Championships the same year just 4 months after her first game.
She emphasized the importance and impact of her coach as a senior guardian and mentor in the game, someone who made sure she practiced constantly. She also gave some gameplay tips asking young players to take their time in making decisions on the board.
Ajuh John Owie, an alumnus of the PwC Chess4Change programme and a Bio-chemistry student of University of Lagos also took part in the mini challenge.
PwC’s facilitators’ Chinasa Ken-Ugwuh, David Neagbara, Taiwo Afolayan and Kate Ajayi took the students through topics such as Decision Making: Successful decision making tips, Bullying: How to Handle Physical and Cyber Bullying, Goal setting; Practical steps to achieving your goals and social vices; The ability to identify and avoid immoral attitudes
Meanwhile, chess equipment donated by the Nigerian Chess Federation were handed to the schools.
The students also viewed Brooklyn Castle; an inspirational documentary covering the story of Intermediate School 318 (IS 318) – an inner city junior secondary school in the USA renowned for consistently winning chess tournaments producing many great chess players.
In the second movie, students enjoyed Knights of the South Bronx; an inspirational movie about an inner city teacher who introduced his students first time to chess and coached them to be national champions.