Re: ODION AIKHOJE: Reaction to the VMOBILE TOURNEY AND MORE

By Chief Victor Iyanam
President, Ultimate Chess.

I am the President of Ultimate Chess, organisers of the Vmobile Ultimate Chess Challenge. I read Odion's comments with a lot of misgivings. Odion has my telephone number and he could have clarified some of his doubts before going to the press. I cannot hold brief for the NCF but I can assure you that the new President of the Nigerian Chess Federation has the interest of chess at heart and is doing everything possible to provide the right environment for the game to thrive. We are also collaborating very closely with the NCF to ensure a hitch free tournament.

The Vmobile Ultimate Chess Challenge is our dream-come-true. It is easy to spoil things by insinuating fraud into anything Nigerian. It is regretable but we are also helping our enemies to tarnish our image abroad. Odion said we copied the Zambian Regulations! Nothing can be further from the truth. In what respect, may I ask? He did not mention.

Chess, like football, must be made to attractive investors. It is no longer going to remain a charity matter. Investors must consider it worthwhile. The players must encourage people to make money from chess as that is the only way professional marketers would get involved. The game of chess is no longer for players alone.

As a veteran chess player, you can be sure that I would always take the interest of the players into account.

We need encouragement for being the midwife of what may turn out to be the biggest thing that ever happened to chess in Nigeria.