Agbakoba Onyeka Martins

Nigeria

My name is Agbakoba Onyeka Martins, born in 2005. I’m a native of Onitsha north local government Anambra state Nigeria but I was born and brought up in Delta state Nigeria.

Well my chess life, I started playing chess at the age of 13. It all started when my eldest brother Arinze was being taught by our neighbor. My neighbors usually gamble with the game of chess so I started learning chess by watching them play but then I was sent off to a boarding school at Anambra state when a year later I heard my elder brother Alex who learned the same time as me won a gold medal for chess in the national sport festival while representing team delta state with three others.

Out of excitement and a bit of jealousy I said to myself that I must get a medal too. So, I went back to Delta state to continue my education when I won a bronze and gold medal for the school sports festival and chess feast. I became known as the best chess player in my secondary school.

During my junior secondary class 3 summer school, I was asked a question to think about my goals in life and what I plan to be and what I plan to achieve. It took a whole week of deep thinking when I finally decided that I will solemnly dedicate my life to chess and be known worldwide as being among the best chess players in Nigeria and on a global level.

Although I lack training materials, I have been training myself by myself ever since the school sports festival. After I finished secondary school, I started teaching chess at the age of 16. I have taught several schools and watched my students get lots of gold medals in several interschool tournaments.

In 2022 I even started a chess academy and club in Delta state with my brother and two others, although we lack facilities and also lack enough materials but we hope that we make it big someday. So far I have been battling just like an adult in settling my life activities. I was born into a poor family background but ever since I started chess, life got a bit easier although it’s more stressful than ever. I could get a total of 100 thousand naira a month and yet get to feed on only 2 thousand naira. I have gotten a bit of a good reputation for myself but for me, it’s not even a thing as I want my chess strength to be my reputation.

I want to be like Magnus, Fischer and Kasparov. I know it sounds impossible, yet I fight for it with every single passing day. My parents have never supported my chess life, they are against it yet I fight against all odds and hold tight to my dreams and life goals so I can make my parents proud of me and make them go around the world. My chess life is solemnly dedicated to my mum.