The story of Tani Adewumi

Tani Adewumi was born in Nigeria. His parents are Christians and were aware of the rise of Boko Haram. The school Tani attended hired security guards and every Sunday, when they went to church, everyone had to pass through an airport-style metal detector. As a family the Adewumis kept a low profile to avoid the militants. But when Mr. Adewumi refused to take on a job from Boko Haram in his printing shop, the family became targets. After a number of near misses and close calls the family fled to America.

They claimed asylum and moved into a homeless shelter in New York. Tani’s father joined other refugees doing low-paid manual work – driving Uber taxis, washing dishes and cleaning houses. Eight-year-old Tani joined a chess club. He had never played the game before. In early 2019, within a year of taking up chess, Tani competed at the New York State Championship and became the champion. The New York Times wrote an article on the homeless kid who had become State Champion. The story went viral.

In March 2019 Tani’s coach set up a crowdfunding page. He hoped to raise a few thousand dollars so the family could move out of the shelter and rent somewhere of their own. Within four hours they had raised $10,000 and in less than two weeks the total reached $260,000! Some people gave large sums, but most gave $5 or $10. Someone bought the Adewumis a car, and another person paid for a year’s rent on an apartment, their first home since fleeing Nigeria two years earlier.

Even before they moved out of the shelter into their new apartment, the Adewumis decided they would do something amazing. Mrs. Adewumi explained, “What had started as a need for a home had become something far bigger. The outpouring of generosity from people all over the world had been far greater than we could have ever imagined. We felt compelled to do something equally great with the money that had been given. We wanted to give other people the same opportunity as we had been given to see their lives transformed.” So, the Adewumis decided to form the Tanitoluwa Adewumi Foundation and to give away the money they had been given – all of it!

The Adewumis know and love Jesus and he is the inspiration for what they are doing. The Apostle Paul wrote, “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.”

Posted on September 23, 2019 by Peter Milsom