Ofowino Rules ‘First Lady’ Chess Tourney

Last Sunday was another milestone to dominant National Female Champion, Toritshemuwa Ofowino, as she emerged as the winner of the First Lady’s Chess tournament organised for all female chess players in the country.

The one week event, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan, was sponsored by one of the legions of the brain game from USA, Ayo Oguntuase.

It was held in honour of the wife of the President of Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), Mrs. Adebola Adeyemi, to raise the gender awareness of the game in the country.

It had the dominant female star maintaining her status among her peers.

The tournament which was a combination of Swiss and knockout pairing had Ofowino led the pack with 3.5 till round five to move into the money spinning knockout phase –  the quarter final stage.

She qualified alongside Labake Coker, Peace Sampson, Assa Oluwaseun, Vivian Dzaayem, Deborah Akintoye, Doris Adebayo and Nkem Omishogbon.

While Ofoniwo edged out veteran Dzaayem, former national female champion, Coker proved better against Sampson just as Akintoye won against Omishogbon and Adebayo lost to Assa.

In the semi final setting, it was a clash of the former and current female champions as Ofoniwo had to dig deep to edged out Coker in 1.5-1.0 result just as Akintoye was better in the other semi final match against Assa.

The final match was grand with the presence of a large crowd of chess enthusiasts. There was also live online streaming of the event.

In his closing remarks, the NCF President, Lekan Adeyemi, commended the sponsor, Oguntuase, for coming to the aid of the federation in the development and promotion of the game in the country.

He advised all the participants not to limit their chess prowess at playing against each other but need to play in the stronger pool of men as a step towards international domination.

Cash prizes were given out to all the winners in the main event and those who continued to complete the Nine-round Swiss event.