Nigerian Chess Community Mourns Odega’s Death

Femi Solaja

The Nigeria Chess community was thrown into mourning mood yesterday after the news of the death of its foremost supporter of the game, Engineer Jonathan Odega broke.

He was aged 65 and hailed from Ubulu Okiti, Aniocha South Local Government area of Delta State.

According to the Media Director of the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), Seun Ogunsiku, the foremost philanthropist of the brain game died on Monday, March 18, 2024.

The President of Nigeria Chess Federation, DIG Sani Mohammed (rtd), noted that Engineer Odega had served on the board of the federation as the sponsor’s representative and was a passionate advocate for chess.

“We all know him as a philanthropist, and the chairman of Orchid-Lekki Chess Club (OLCC), our gracious host for the National Chess Championships.

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Odega family, the OLCC family, and the entire Orchid Group community during this difficult time,” he noted.

Aside from the Chess boss, notable stakeholders both within and outside the shore of the country also conveyed their sympathies to the family of the late chess enthusiast.

All notable chess WhatsApp platforms were buzzing all through yesterday with active and former chess players relating their respective encounters with the man described by many as the main pillar of the game.

He  consistently hosted the annual Nigeria Chess Championship in the last four years through the Orchid Chess Club.

He was passionate about the project that would see Nigeria produce a player with a Grandmaster title and in the last few years, he invested in youth chess tournaments and clinics, many budding stars have emerged from the project conquering boundaries at tournaments in recent years.  

Odega was actively involved with Nigeria staging the African Individual Chess Championship in Lagos in 2022 when top African chess players contested for honours for nine days over the chess board which the continental  body, African Chess Union, considered one of the very best-staged events in recent time.