Immigrants
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Tanitoluwa Adewumi, a chess prodigy, and his family have officially been granted asylum in the United States.

The Adewumi family fled Nigeria in 2017 to escape terrorist attacks by the Boko Haram terror group. Afterward, they moved to New York and sought religious asylum. However, in 2019, the family was residing in a homeless shelter, CBS News Reported.

"We thank God for his mercy and the people of America for their kindness," Kayode Adewumi, Tan's father, told CBS News.

Kayode mentioned that Tani will now be able to compete at an international level - the family's next goal is to get U.S. citizenship, as per the outlet.

"It feels amazing because it's been such a long journey. I'm just grateful that we've gotten this opportunity," Tani said.

The 12-year-old Tanitoluwa Adewumi, popularly known as 'Tani', rose to stardom at age 8 for his unprecedented chess skills. He defeated 73 opponents to clinch the New York state chess championship for his division.

Being named a National Master and FIDE Master, which is a prestigious designation awarded by the international chess governing body, has thrust him into the limelight as a global chess idol.

However, his most pivotal feat will perhaps be the recent one of him and his family being officially granted asylum in the U.S.

Matthew Ingber, part of the legal team that worked on the Adewumi family's asylum case, said he first learned about Tani's situation in the summer of 2021.

Ingber was so moved by the family's agony that he decided to assemble a team of lawyers from Mayer Brown, including Justin Perkins and Christopher Mikesh.

"This is not just a story about 8-year-old Tani, 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," said Mikesh, according to Daily Mail.

Boko Haram, a terrorist organization based in northeastern Nigeria, has been responsible for an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 deaths and the displacement of over 2.3 million people since 2009.

The group took control of extensive territories in northeastern Nigeria between 2009 and 2015, including major cities such as Maiduguri, causing devastation to the lives of millions and constituting a significant threat to the Nigerian state. Overall, some 15 million people have been adversely affected by the insurgency and counterinsurgency (COIN) efforts.