Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, expressed joy at the participation of eight-year-old Emmanuela Iyobosa in the Royal Rapid Chess Classic 2026, held in Benin City, Edo State.
The tournament, which attracted players from across Nigeria, formed part of the celebrations marking the monarch’s 10th coronation anniversary.
Oba Ewuare II played a ceremonial first move with Emmanuela during the event and subsequently declared her a child of the palace.
The monarch instructed palace chiefs in the administrative arm to collect the young player’s details from her mother, Mrs. Doris Omoragbon, a national chess champion and senior player with the Edo State Sports Commission.
The monarch’s gesture highlighted the young player’s participation in the tournament, which formed part of the celebrations marking a decade of his reign.
Also Read:Benin Council heightens security around Oba Ewuare II
“This child is now a child of the palace. From now on, I want the palace to monitor the little girl’s progress: how she is doing with chess, her education, and her welfare. We want to know even what she eats. The palace will now take care of her needs,” the monarch said.
“If there are any challenges concerning her, the parents must bring them to my notice. For a child of eight to be playing chess at this level is wonderful.”
He described chess as a strategic game for intelligentsia, saying Oba people wrongly equate it with draughts played in beer parlours.
“Many people do not know the advantages of chess. They think it is the same as the game of draughts people play at beer parlours, but it is not. It is a game that makes you rack your brain. It prepares one to be proactive. It helps with decision-making and good planning.”
He said chess was meant for the military hierarchy, policymakers, and administrators, and that it “sharpens your focus and high sense of anticipation.”
The Monarch promised royal prizes for competition winners and gifted N250,000 to the mother of his adopted child as a royal gift.
Emmanuela is a Primary 2 pupil at Oman Christian Academy, Benin City.
THE NATION
