Nigerian chess champion and Guinness World Record holder Tunde Onakoya has opened up about a pivotal moment in his early life when his school teachers discouraged him from following his dream of becoming a lawyer. The revelation, shared on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), has sparked reflection and debate about career guidance in Nigerian schools.
In a heartfelt post, the 31-year-old Chess in Slums Africa founder said one of his “greatest regrets in life” was allowing teachers to steer him away from the Arts track — and with it his passion for debating and law. According to Onakoya, his secondary school educators insisted that Arts subjects were only for underperforming students, while science was deemed the preserve of the brightest pupils.
“One of my greatest regrets in life was letting the teachers in my secondary school convince us that Art class was for dullards and science class for the smartest students. I was excellent at debates, loved words and really wanted to be a lawyer but they wouldn’t let me,” Onakoya wrote.
Onakoya noted that this misplaced stereotype didn’t just affect him, but likely altered the futures of countless Nigerian children who were pushed into academic paths they didn’t choose. “They made that choice for me before I understood what it meant,” he said, warning that such practices can change the trajectory of young lives.
The Nigerian champion’s story highlights an ongoing issue in the country’s educational culture — where science and technology fields are often elevated over the arts and humanities, sometimes at the expense of students’ genuine interests or strengths. Onakoya’s experience has resonated with many Nigerians online, prompting conversations about how schools counsel pupils on subject choices and career plans.
Onakoya, who was born in Ikorodu, Lagos, learned chess in a barber’s shop and later founded the nonprofit Chess in Slums Africa to empower children through chess education. His advocacy work, including multiple Guinness World Record attempts aimed at funding education initiatives, has made him a prominent voice on youth empowerment and educational reform.
Educators and policy advocates say stories like Onakoya’s could help push for better career guidance programs in Nigerian schools — ones that encourage students to explore their passions and talents, rather than rigidly categorizing subjects by perceived prestige or difficulty.
