Meet di Nigerian child chess champion wey US grant asylum

At eight years old, Nigerian Tanitoluwa “Tani” Adewumi win di New York State Chess Championships wen im dey live for homeless shelter.

E rise to national stardom wit dat performance as e defeat 73 of di best chess players for im age group and win im division.

Im success for 2019 come less dan two years afta im arrival for US. Im family bin leave dia home for Nigeria as dem run from Islamist militant group Boko Haram. 

“We escape by di mercy of God,” Tani fada Kayode Adewumi tell di BBC.

“Di only tin wey we fit say be say we really tank God.”

Di family announce dis week say di US goment don grant dem asylum afta five years journey wey begin wit terrifying fashion.

During dia final days for Nigeria, members of Boko Haram bin dey search for Oga Adewumi.

Im be di owner of one printing business, and one day some men ask am to print informational pamphlets. Wen im discover say dem be Boko Haram members, im refuse.

Members of di group enta im house later wen im don komot for business and question im wife and two sons. “I dey seriously worried,” e tok.

Im quickly plan im family escape and for June 2017 dem fly to New York City. Dem move into one homeless shelter and im two sons enrol for school.

Den Tani wey be 12 years old now bin find chess.

“I tink di game dey very creative. I like di strategy and di creativity,” e tell di BBC for one telephone interview.

Di family remain for di homeless shelter asdem dey support dia son ambition to become grandmaster for di sport. Mr Adewumi bin dey wash plates and im wife Oluwatoyin find cleaning job.

Dat time, Tani win di famous victory for di New York State Championships and receive national attention.

One fundraising website for di family raise more dan $200,000 (£164,000) and one anonymous donor pay one full year rent on a two-bedroom apartment for dem.

For 2021, Tani compete for chess tournament for Connecticut and win every game – and become one of di youngest national masters for di history of di US Chess Federation.

Di family dey live for one apartment for east Manhattan now, and tok say dia asylum status come as great relief. "We bin dey very very happy. We really appreciate God say e [asylum] come successfully," Oga Adewumi tok.

Im don start new job as a licensed real estate agent and Tani dey win growing number of chess accolades.

But e no dey enough for di 12-year-old.

"I hope to be grandmaster," Tani tok. "Or maybe more than dat - a world champion."