12-year-old Tanitoluwa Adewumi, known as Tani, has been granted asylum in the United States, along with his parents.
Tani rose to fame at the age of eight for his impressive chess skills, and went on to defeat 73 opponents to win the New York state chess championship for his division.
Tani and his family fled Nigeria due to terrorism carried out by Boko Haram fighters, and moved to New York in 2017 seeking religious asylum. However, they found themselves living in a homeless shelter in 2019.
Despite these challenges, Tani continued to excel at chess and was eventually named a National Master with the title of FIDE Master, a prestigious designation awarded by the international chess governing body.
Tani’s father, Kayode Adewumi, said of the family’s asylum grant, “It feels amazing because it’s been such a long journey. I’m just grateful that we’ve gotten this opportunity. We feel so relieved. Everybody is so happy.”
The family’s legal team, led by Matthew Ingber, a managing partner at Mayer Brown’s New York office, also expressed their joy at the news. “This is not just a story about 8-year-old Tani,” said Christopher Mikesh, one of the lawyers on the team.
“It’s also a story about a family who came to the United States with very little and did everything they possibly could to make a life for themselves here. It’s truly inspiring what the family has accomplished. To even be a small part of their story is really an honor for us.”
Tani’s talent and determination have won him fans around the world, and his recent asylum grant is a testament to the resilience of he and his family.
Despite the obstacles they have faced, they have persevered and achieved success in their new home.
