Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya is in Paris for Fashion Week after luxury house Hermès flew him out, chessboard in hand.
In a post shared on Friday, October 2, Onakoya wrote:
“So Hermès flew this Ikorodu boy with his chessboard out to Paris for Fashion Week (still in awe). A little traumatized from the Louvre shenanigans, but I’ll be sharing some great chess content and the world of fashion and celebrities (I’m curious myself). Stay tuned. 
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The Louvre Backlash
The “Louvre shenanigans” refers to a viral moment reported by NBG Africa in April, when Onakoya posted a video of himself playing chess in traditional agbada near the Louvre Museum and claimed to be the first Nigerian to do so.
Many celebrated the cultural statement, and the post drew significant backlash.
Critics questioned the “first Nigerian” claim as unprovable. They mocked the idea of calling a solo chess game in a public space an achievement, and accused it of being performative.
The mixed reactions were prominent enough that mainstream TV covered the criticism, and Onakoya still references the episode with a note of trauma months later.
The Boy From Ikorodu
Onakoya, who grew up in Ikorodu, Lagos, and learned the game in a local barbershop, has built a global reputation through Chess in Slums Africa, using the game to empower children from underserved communities.
The Chess in the Slums Africa founder holds the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon. The Paris trip continues that blend of intellect, fashion, culture, and unexpected stages for Onakoya.
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In a follow-up, he revealed that all his outfits for the week were designed and made by Nigerian designer Anderson Edewor of Thirteez Stores.
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