A tweet from Tokunbo Wahab, Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, has stirred confusion and concern on social media after he listed the names of nine individuals arrested under the Ozumba Mbadiwe bridge including one “Tunde Onakoya,” a name shared by Nigeria’s internationally recognized chess master.
Wahab’s post read “LAWMA enforcement team in the early hours today arrested 9 miscreants under Ozumba Mbadiwe bridge. They are: Tunde Onakoya – 36yrs, Collins Ararume – 36yrs, Musiliu Fatokun – 27yrs, Usman Umar – 22yrs, Michael Oladotun – 18yrs, Michael Oluwakayode – 22yrs, Yusuf Azika – 26yrs, Bankole Akinola – 19yrs, Abdullahi Olatunji – 19yrs.”
The mention of “Tunde Onakoya” immediately triggered speculation and panic online, as the name belongs to a celebrated chess champion, founder of Chess in Slums Africa, and Guinness World Record holder.
Many Nigerians questioned whether this was a case of mistaken identity possibly linked to his frequent outreach efforts in underserved communities.
Onakoya responded with characteristic humor, tweeting “no way… Was he teaching chess when this happened? Am I tweeting from detention?”
His lighthearted reply helped ease the tension, though many supporters still sought clarification.
One user, Toluwalase, tweeted “Mr Toks, please which Tunde Onakoya are you talking about? #Tunde_OD are you safe?”
Another, Akinwale, quipped “Oga Toks, your team arrested the chess master teaching kids chess under the bridge?”
The consensus online was clear: if it were truly the famed Onakoya, it had to be a misunderstanding. Many expressed disbelief that such a high-profile figure known for using chess as a tool of empowerment could be among those detained.
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