Despite being relatively unknown, 17-year-old Ferdinand Tersee Nyuima captivated everyone at the inaugural National School Board Games, organised by the Nigeria School Sport Federation in collaboration with the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board. The two-day tournament, featuring over 300 students from across the country, saw Nyuima emerge as the standout performer. In the presence of notable dignitaries such as the Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun; National Sports Commission representative, Lanre Ogunjobi; LASUBEB Chairman, Dr Hakeem Shittu; and NSSF President, Olabisi Joseph, Nyuima demonstrated why he is considered Nigeria’s top chess player. The senior class three student from Lagos-based Platform College clinched the boys’ U-18 championship title, outclassing all his competitors. The event received high praise from the commissioner, NSC officials, and LASUBEB leaders, who lauded the NSSF’s initiative as timely and crucial for developing students’ mental strength. Commissioner Alli-Balogun expressed pride in hosting the event and pledged continued support for future editions. He also commended the collaboration between NSSF and LASUBEB, urging similar partnerships nationwide to foster sports development. Ogunjobi, representing NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko, highlighted the alignment of the event with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and promised ongoing support for NSSF programs to promote healthy sports rivalry among young people. LASUBEB Chairman Dr Shittu was particularly pleased with the event’s success and vowed to make future editions even bigger. NSSF President Olabisi Joseph praised all participating students and teams, especially those from the Northern, Eastern, and Southern regions, and expressed intentions to expand such initiatives to other states. “I must commend the leadership of LASUBEB and Lagos State for hosting this event on short notice. I hope other states will partner with us to host similar sporting events that help identify talents in schools. Winners from this event will represent Nigeria at the International School Sports Federation (ISF) and African School Sports Games in Serbia and Morocco later this year,” she added.