Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya, won a chess match with the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nord Motion, Oluwatobi Ajayi, which earned him a brand new car and a brand ambassador role at the automobile firm.
Onakoya, who recently set a new Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon, disclosed this in a post and pictures shared on X.com on Thursday.
He disclosed that he got a call from Ajayi on Wednesday, inviting him for a chat and chess match and stating that Onakoya could choose any car of his choice at Nord Motion’s showroom for free if he wins the match.
“Knowing he was a strong chess player from our previous game analyses (Although we had never played before), I accepted the challenge. After about an hour of intense play, I managed to win from a very complex position,” Onakoya added.
Expressing his delight, the chess master wrote, “This all still feels surreal, but I’m thrilled to announce that I am now a global brand ambassador for #nordmotion motors and the proud owner of a NORD A7 SUV built and assembled in Nigeria.
“Life really isn’t scripted, and I’m super grateful to be able to use my gift to inspire the world and affect lives positively. This has inadvertently brought a lot of goodness my way too, and this love is one I’ll never take for granted.”
In his post, Onakoya also revealed that before he travelled to the United States, he gave his only car to his father, who had sold his taxi to support his education.
He wrote, “Just before I travelled to America, I called my dad and gave him my only car. He had sold his taxi 13 years ago so I could pay for my WAEC and JAMB examination fees.
“The joy on his face brought tears; it was the least I could do for my parents, who sacrificed everything so I could get an education. It wasn’t clear how I was going to get a new car without spending a fortune, but I had faith.”
Sharing pictures from their chess match on X.com, Ajayi wrote, “I played a really good game of chess against #Tunde_OD for about an hour. It was a very interesting game that I almost won.”