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Championships

Breaking News: FIDE President to Visit Nigeria!

by admin
written by admin

With less than a month to the Africa Individual Chess Championships (Open & Women sections), preparations by the Nigeria Chess Federation are ripe, with the federation president, DIG (Rtd) Sani Usman Mohammed, mni and board leaving no stone unturned to ensure that they host the very best championship yet.

President of the Nigeria Chess Federation, DIG (Rtd) Sani Usman Mohammed, mni

Having this in mind, they are working with the federal government to ensure ease of passage by participating players and officials, as well as officials. To this end, partnerships are being formed, sponsors are being welcomed and opportunities are being afforded many to join in the hosting of this awesome event.

FIDE President, Mr Arkady Dvorkovich| Image Credit: David Llada!

It is also important to note that the World Chess Federation (FIDE) President has decided to grace the event that holds in Lagos, Nigeria. This will be the very first time that President Arkady Dvorkovich will be in Nigeria on official chess business, and to see how this affects Africa chess.

ACC President, Ms Tshepiso Lopang| Image Credit: FIDE

Nigeria will play host to the FIDE president, the new Africa Chess Confederation president, chess players and other notable chess figures during this continental championship.

The chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Prince Adewole Adeyinka mentioned these in a brief interview about the upcoming event in the country.

Prince Adewole Adeyinka in action at the Masters Section of the National Chess Championship

A few of the participants in the continental masterpiece are currently plying their trade at the Abu Dharbi International Chess Event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Osunfuyi Abimbola at the Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival| Image Credit: http://adchessfestival.ae/

Hopefully, this Africa Individual Chess Championship will be the first in a very long time, where most of the African countries are ably represented and give a good account of themselves.

For those traveling to Nigeria for the first time, prepare for the best championship you have witnessed till date.

Africa’s Top Gun, Grandmaster Amin Bassem of Egypt at the Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival| Image Credit: http://adchessfestival.ae/

It has also come to our knowledge that the Nigerian contingents will register for the championship based on their FIDE rating as at the 1st of August, 2022.

Adebayo Adegboyega Leads the Charge of Nigerians to face the African contingents at the AICC!

Furthermore, there are hopes that there will be a few talented junior players also participating at this event. These players must have shown good understanding of the game of chess over the course of the year, along with good results and ratings.

Below are some examples, not necessarily reflecting the views of the Nigerian Chess Federation.

Okemakinde Toluwanimi
Emmanuel Joy Idara
Okeke Isaac
Denyefa Callistus
Keyi Musa

Africa Chess Media along with a few other media organizations will publicize the championship to the world, and there might be a usage of the new technology that was launched at the Chennai Chess Olympiad (idchess).

You may not need to spend big on transmitting your tournament games to the public anymore!

Nigeria is ready to host the continent! Are You Ready for what she brings?

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Election News

Africa Has New Chess Leaders!

by Ogunsiku Babatunde
written by Ogunsiku Babatunde

A few hours ago, African leaders/delegates casted their votes for three (3) aspirants to the throne of leadership of the Africa Chess Confederation.

Before the elections, many had tried to guess where the elections would swing, who was supporting who, and if “the Year of Women in Chess” would really have its way on the continent.

Image Credit: Fide

There were those who campaigned in the open, and those who campaigned in closed circuits. One thing is sure, when a people campaign in closed circuits, you may never know what is going on, however, faith is employed until the votes are cast and the results are seen.

This is the story of the tickets that tried to become the president of the continent, who also comes in with their team of office holders/workers.

Delegates Vote Casting| Image Credit: Enyonam Sewa Fumey

After several weeks of campaigning, voting happened today, and the results show that our poll on “Who Should Lead Africa Chess” was valid and the results proved true. Although, the candidate who won the poll on our website did not contest for the position of ACC president, the person he supported eventually won the elections.

Results

After forty-seven (47) delegates casted their votes in the Africa Chess Confederation elections, the three (3) candidates for leadership had the following votes:

Tshepiso Lopang – 29 votes

Bernard Wanjala – 11 votes

Hesham El Gendy – 7 votes

With the above result (Biggest margin in an ACC election), there was no need for a recount, neither was there any need for doubts. African delegates have spoken, the continent has spoken, and the Year of Women in Chess has officially happened to Africa.

The Electoral Team with the casted votes| Image Credit: Enyonam Sewa Fumey

Ms. Tshepiso Lopang of Botswana has been elected to become the New Africa Chess Confederation President, and by extension, Omer Abdalla Omerdeab of Sudan becomes the Deputy President, Nadezhda Marochkina of Senegal becomes the first Vice President, Sidi Mohamed Tajedine of Mauritania becomes the second Vice President, Tito Martins from Angola becomes the Secretary General, and Wilfried Ntamatungiro from Burundi becomes the Treasurer.

Ms. Tshepiso Lopang! Photo Credit: Fide

This team will serve Africa for the next four (4) years and build the structures that will propagate the continent to the world in a better way, building on what is good from the outgoing team, and ensuring a change in what seemed bad.

After the continental leaders who were voted for, the five (5) zones (4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5) also had their elections today. The winners of the zonal representatives are as follows:

  1. Zone 4.1 – Marouane Tabti from Algeria
  2. Zone 4.2 – Philip Elikem Ameku from Ghana
  3. Zone 4.3 – Barthelemy Bongo from Gabon
  4. Zone 4.4 – Yassin Souleyman from Djibouti
  5. Zone 4.5 – Susan Namangale from Malawi

The delegates have spoken and Africa has listened. Now is the time for these leaders to get to work and deliver on the promise to take their respective zones to the next heights.

The Big Worker, Susan Namangale of Malawi – New Zone 4.5 President! Image Credit: Fide

It is also hoped that the zones would be allowed to function independently of the ACC (while bringing regular reports to the leaders above), as well as build structures that will take the continent as a whole to the next level of chess evolution.

Africa Chess Media wishes to congratulate the winners from the elections, and urge them to aid the evolution of Africa as a whole.

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Election News

Elections: Who Will Become The Next ACC President?

by Ogunsiku Babatunde
written by Ogunsiku Babatunde

The last eight (8) years have seen an upsurge in chess matters, as compared to how the continent was handled before then. However, there are yet a lot of things unattended to, and these form the basis of a new leadership.

One thing is certain, a new leadership will emerge, with new ideas, forward thinking, and achievable activities, that will ensure Africa evolves in the next four (4) years and beyond.

African Delegates and Presidential Candidates at meal!

The leadership of President Arkady Dvorkovich and the mantra to bring chess out of the woods, was a huge success. Barring the issue with Russia and the connection with the war (by nationality), President Arkady has shown that it is possible to do great things without dragging the predecessor out.

Chess became a truly global sport. Covid and The Queen’s Gambit (series) ensured that the appeal for chess grew even more, and the evolution of the game grew even further.

FIDE President, Arkady Dvorkovich at the African delegates meeting!

Today, Africa elects a new president, as the incumbent, Mr. Lewis Ncube, has decided to step down from leading the continent. African delegates will be saddled with the responsibility of choosing a set of leaders that understands what is necessary and expedient for the continent.

A set of leaders that will not live for themselves, nor make decisions that will only favor them, but will consider the continent, chess players, arbiters, coaches, instructors, sponsors, organizers, and everyone related (or will be related) to chess in anyway.

African Delegates after joining the Francophone meeting!

The future of the Africa Chess Industry begins from today’s elections, and it will determine how the next four (4) years will unfold.

It is true that there are personal interests, however, as a leader, you must choose a leader based on their ability to lead, proffer solutions, get to work in helping to solve the many challenges facing the continent.

Atop the challenges facing the continent is FUNDING! With good funding coming into the African Chess Industry, the continent will be able to obtain the services of top-level coaches/trainers, who will pass across some level of knowledge to local players, trainers, coaches, arbiters, etc.

Furtherance to the above challenge, management of funds is as important as raising the funds. Providing consistent financial report to member federations via email should be high on the list of what those you (leaders) will cast your votes for.

Currently, there are three (3) presidential tickets, with six (6) individual members on each ticket, holding different positions. The leaders of the tickets and their deputies are outlined below:

Ticket 1

President – Ms. Tshepiso Lopang (Botswana)

Ticket 2

President – Dr. Hesham El Gendy (Egypt)

Ticket 3

President – Mr. Wanjala Bernard (Kenya)

Dear delegates, your minds may be made up before this article, your nation may have directed you as to who you should vote for, your board members too, however, you are urged to think about the future of Africa as a continent, as well as the team that would take the continent into that future that you (as a delegate) see.

Today – A New Dawn Breaks on Africa Chess Confederation!

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