12-12 months-Previous Grasp Tani Adewumi Granted Asylum in U.S.

12-12 months-Previous Grasp Tani Adewumi Granted Asylum in U.S.


After years of uncertainty, 12-year-old FM Tanitoluwa Adewumi and his household have been formally granted political asylum in america. The household fled from Nigeria to the U.S. in 2017 after Adewumi’s father grew to become a goal of a non secular extremist group, Boko Haram, for refusing to print a poster with anti-Western and violent anti-Christian slogans at his print store. 

The household first utilized for asylum in 2019 and have confronted the chance of being despatched again to harmful circumstances in Nigeria till now. They’re immensely grateful that the lengthy course of has had a contented ending. The daddy shared in writing to Chess.com: “We felt so good and thank God for His mercy upon us. Due to our attorneys and the People, they’re fantastic folks.”

The household determined to relocate after quite a few aggressive visits from members of Boko Haram, even after shifting to a special metropolis in Nigeria. When the household first arrived in New York, they lived in a homeless shelter in Manhattan. Throughout this time, Adewumi discovered the best way to play chess from the pinnacle coach, NM Shawn Martinez, at his faculty P.S. 116. Adewumi quickly joined the after-school chess membership, gaining extra alternatives to apply and compete, after the charge was waived by chess coach Russell Makofsky in consideration of the household’s monetary scenario.

Simply weeks into becoming a member of, Adewumi began finding out closely on his personal, fixing as many as 500 puzzles in every week. Adewumi shares his experiences and the importance of chess in his autobiographical ebook, My Identify Is Tani …And I Consider in Miracles: “Within the weeks after I get my (first) ranking, I resolve that I will spend as a lot time as I probably can utilizing Mother’s telephone and finishing puzzles. Some weeks I full 4 hundred and even 5 hundred puzzles … The puzzles and the video games and the chess membership all make me tremendous glad.” 

My Identify Is Tani …And I Consider in Miracles by Tani Adewumi. Picture: Amazon.

Regardless of his difficult circumstances, Adewumi received the NY State Scholastic Ok-3 Championship only a yr after competing in his first event. Adewumi’s speedy success within the recreation introduced consideration to his household’s circumstances, and plenty of provided assist, permitting the household to maneuver out of the homeless shelter to their very own residence. 

At age 10, Adewumi grew to become a nationwide grasp and, a number of months later, he earned the FIDE Grasp title. He at the moment has three Worldwide Grasp norms, after incomes the third on the 2022 New York Fall Invitational in November, though he nonetheless must earn a fourth from a Swiss event. Adewumi aspires to turn into a grandmaster.

The younger grasp hosts his personal present, Tani Time, on ChessKid.com and has performed towards the easiest on Chess.com. 

Gaining asylum has significance towards Adewumi’s formidable objectives in chess too, as he can now journey internationally the place many GM norm tournaments happen. 

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