Oba of Benin Adopts Eight-Year-Old Chess Prodigy, Pledges to Fund Her Education

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has pledged to support the education, welfare and chess development of eight-year-old Emmanuella Omoragbon after meeting the young player at the opening of the Royal Rapid Chess Classic 2026 in Benin City.

The monarch made the announcement on Saturday during a ceremonial chess match at the Oba’s Palace, where he played against Emmanuella, a Primary 3 pupil. The exhibition game ended with the Oba capturing the young player’s bishop.

Impressed by her ability, Ewuare II declared that Emmanuella had become a child of the palace and directed that her progress in school and chess be monitored.

“This child is now a child of the palace. From now on, I want the palace to monitor the progress of the little girl: how she is doing with chess, her education and her welfare,” the monarch said.

He added that the palace would look after her needs and asked her parents to inform him of any challenges affecting her development. He described her chess ability at such a young age as remarkable.

The ceremony marked the start of activities for the Oba’s 10th coronation anniversary. The tournament attracted players from several states, with organisers reporting that 126 of the 130 registered participants attended the competition.

The monarch also announced additional prizes for winners, including royal souvenirs made from Benin bronze. He presented N2 million to participating players and visiting students from Edo College, while Emmanuella’s mother, Doris Omoragbon, received N250,000. Her mother, described in the report as a national chess champion and senior player with the Edo State Sports Commission, expressed gratitude for the support.

Following the palace ceremony, the tournament moved to the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub on Airport Road in Benin City. Players came from Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun and Edo states.

Tournament coordinator and chess promoter Augustine Apemiye thanked the monarch for including chess in the anniversary programme. He said organisers were seeking approval to establish the Oba Ewuare II Chess Club to train children at the palace and identify promising young players. The tournament’s grand finale is scheduled for November 21, 2026, with cash prizes available across open, under-20, under-14 and under-10 categories.