Bayelsa State-based chess coach, Kigigha Bomo has disclosed that his 14-year-old sensation, Goodness Ekunke is in dire need of sponsorship from various sources to help him attend this year’s FIDE Oympiad in Uzbekistan, Sports247 reports.
Speaking against the backdrop of Ekunke’s conquest of the recent FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championship in Abuja, Bomo disclosed that the lad had alreaady qualified for the Olympiad, but his preparations have been hampered by inadequate funding.
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Bomo further disclosed that Ekunke became eligible for the Olympiad three months ago, after finishing third at the national selection trials in Lagos, where female prodigy, Quickpen Deborah also qualified for the global competition, which is scheduled to hold in the middle of next month.
The soft-spoken chess coach added that he should travel out with Ekunke and Deborah on September 12th and arrive in Uzbekistan on the 15th, but that plan is yet to be concretised due to lack of sufficient funds to put logistics in motion.
He further disclosed that Deborah missed the recent World Rapid & Blitz Championship in Abuja due to lack of sponsorship and, while projecting that she would have emerged female world champion had she participated, he is how appealing for support towards the Olympiad.
Bomo, who is also Ekunke’s foster father, said he shoulders most of the lad’s training needs, which he conceded is not enough to make his trip to the Olympiad feasible, hence his appeal for support from corporate bodies, well-meaning individuals and government.
“The World Chess Olympiad is the highest competition for national teams worldwide. Before winning the World Rapid & Blitz Championship, Ekunke had already qualified (but) it has not been adequate, because I’m a civil servant. I do virtually everything for him, and it’s not enough.
“We need grandmaster training, software and electronic devices to optimise the quality of his training. Government has done so much for the development of sports, but we still want them to do more for us,” Bomo posited.
Sports247 reports further that the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championship featured participants from eight countries in Garki, Abuja, where the Bayefa family trio of Oyinleperemor, Miebi and Eniye all played alongside Ekunke, who was the standout lad among the lot from Bayelsa State.
