Mary Zira: How a displaced child from michika Rose to international Fame through chess.

Mary Zira: How a displaced child from michika Rose to international Fame through chess.

By Semen Isaiah Lerum

In the dusty lanes of an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Yola, Adamawa State, few could have imagined that a quiet girl wearing the same black-and-white vest day after day would one day walk the grounds of United States. Fewer still could have guessed that she would become a global chess sensation, a beacon of hope to thousands of children who have been pushed to the margins by conflict and displacement. But that’s the magic of Mary Victor Zira’s story—one that begins in obscurity and rises to international acclaim, checkmating the odds at every turn.
The Early Moves: From Michika to the IDP Camp

Mary’s life was upended when insurgency struck her home in Michika Local Government Area. Her father, a theologian, went missing during Boko Haram attack, and her mother fled with the children, eventually finding safety at the EYN IDP camp in Yola. Life in the camp was about survival—food, shelter, and basic safety. Education was a distant dream, let alone anything as niche as chess.

That all changed in 2023.
A Chance Encounter: Coach Vivian Ibrahim Steps In

Vivian Ibrahim, a passionate chess coach and youth mentor, was preparing boys from the IDP camp to represent Adamawa at the National Youth Games. It was during one of her routine visits that she stumbled upon Mary.

“I met her right in front of her parents’ house,” Vivian recalls. “I was looking for the house of one of the boys. She directed me, and the way she spoke—her English, her accent—stopped me. I asked if she was part of my chess class. She said no. So I told her to start coming.”

And that was it. Mary began attending chess lessons in the camp, always in that same black-and-white outfit. She was just one of many kids at first. Vivian, who brought cartons of biscuits to class for the children, didn’t immediately realize the depth of Mary’s potential. But that would soon change.

Mary Zira with Vivian Ibrahim

Breakthrough at the Grand Tournament

The turning point came in October during a Grand Tournament hosted at the camp. Vivian invited Tunde Onakoya, a well-known chess advocate and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, to attend. Tunde interviewed Mary, and it was the way she confidently responded to his questions that made her go viral overnight.

Suddenly, people were reaching out from all corners—offering scholarships, educational support, and mentorship. What had started as a camp activity exploded into a life-changing opportunity.

“When Tunde was leaving, he told me he wanted Mary to be part of the team that would go to the U.S. this year,” Vivian says. “And that’s how she found herself boarding a plane for the first time, headed for a global chess conference in the United States.”

Mary Zira with other Team

Life at the American University of Nigeria Academy

Thanks to generous sponsors and well-wishers, Mary is now enrolled at the American University of Nigeria Academy—a dream school for many Nigerian children. She lives on scholarship, with her academics supported all the way to university level.

She is the first daughter in a family of three children. Her younger brothers—Manasa and Tomba—still live in the IDP camp with their parents. The family’s journey hasn’t been without scares. Vivian recalls a disturbing moment when Mary’s mother received a hoax call, telling her to come and pick her husband’s dead body. Thankfully, it turned out to be false, but it was a harsh reminder of the traumas they’ve endured.

A Journey Beyond Borders

Mary’s trip to the U.S. took her to New York City, Atlanta, and even Harvard University. She stood among young chess prodigies from across the world, representing not just her camp, or even her state, but every Nigerian child whose dreams had been deferred by displacement.

She didn’t just attend events—she made history.

Mary spoke at the United Nations Headquarters in New York,She met the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Mrs. Amina J. Mohammed,She and four other children from the Chess in Slums program met Nigerian superstar Davido (OBO) in New York

She competed in an international chess tournament and clinched a silver medal—Mary’s journey proved that no background is too humble to hold greatness.

Despite the excitement of global recognition, Mary’s foundation remained solid. Her coach, Vivian, made sure of that.

“I taught her chess from scratch,” Vivian says proudly. “Even now, in the U.S., they don’t really have time to teach her much chess, so I got her an iPad and installed chess apps. She plays against the computer regularly. Whenever I visit her at the AUN Academy, we still play together.”

For Vivian Ibrahim, Mary’s success is only the beginning. She’s building something bigger—a movement to transform how displaced children see themselves and their potential.

“I’m not just raising chess players,” she explains. “I’m raising colleagues. I want these kids to help me go into more IDP camps to train others. Mary, when she returns, will serve as a mentor. Her story will tell other kids: If I did it, so can you.”

Already, Vivian has helped over 40 children get back into school, some into private institutions, others into government secondary schools. She has set up training camps not just in Yola but also in Durumi, Abuja, with plans to expand further in other IDPs in Adamawa State.

The Endgame is Just the Beginning

Mary Victor Zira’s story is not a fairytale—it’s a roadmap. It’s about what happens when you plant hope in unlikely places and nurture it with mentorship and opportunity.

She may be playing chess, but this is about far more than pawns and queens. This is about reclaiming the narrative for displaced children across Nigeria and Africa.

Mary is not just a champion. She’s a symbol. She’s a promise. She’s proof that even in the midst of loss and hardship, brilliance can bloom—and win.

“I expect her to have a soft landing,” Vivian says, “to go even further. And when she comes back, she’ll inspire others. Because their dreams are valid too.”

Indeed, Mary Zira is already showing the world just how valid, how vibrant, and how victorious those dreams can be.