Tani, the 10-year-old refugee chess star
This is Tani, the 10-year-old chess star
He first learned to play at a New York homeless shelter
after his family fled Nigeria for the U.S. in 2017
(SOUNDBITE) (English) TANITOLUWA “TANI” ADEWUMI, NATIONAL CHESS MASTER, SAYING:
“It’s just like, there was nothing else to do. So I was like, why not go for it? And that time I was in the shelter so I was like, why not go for it?”
His goal is to become the world’s youngest chess grandmaster
Tani’s family co-wrote a book
titled 'My name is Tani...and I Believe in Miracles'
Comedian Trevor Noah and Paramount Pictures bought the movie rights
(SOUNDBITE) (English) OLUWATOYIN ADEWUMI, TANI’S MOTHER, SAYING:
“Being a refugee or an asylum seeker, it can happen to anybody, and when you believe -- everything depends on your faith. So when you have the belief that where I am going to I’m going to be successful, I’m going to be okay then definitely its going to be okay with you.”