Gombe Chess Star Namarwa Receives N500,000 Reward

Mercy Iliya Namarwa, a chess prodigy, was awarded a N500,000 cash prize by Eglah Idris, the Chairperson of Billiri Local Government Area, in recognition of her outstanding performance at the FIDE World Amateur Championships held in Abuja. Namarwa secured two bronze medals in the Blitz and Rapid U2000 Women categories during the tournament.

The presentation of the reward took place on a Monday, where Idris expressed pride in Namarwa's achievements, stating that they serve as a significant source of pride for Billiri, Gombe State, and Nigeria as a whole. Idris emphasized that the reward aims to appreciate Namarwa's hard work, dedication, and determination, and to motivate her for future competitions.

She also encouraged other youths in Billiri to draw inspiration from Namarwa's success and to pursue their own talents, affirming the local government's commitment to supporting talented youths in the community.