Big Ben

Blockchain Developer || Founding Titan || Backend & Systems interest me

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

GM RuledOut

I'm Big Ben and this is my entry for Blockfest

I must say that Blockfest, everybody I was talking to at the time had attended it for 2 years consecutively. So in a way I heard about it before even entering X and Web3. I got to watch @SamuelXeus video for the first time on Tiktok which was the platform I used most at the time and the video was too much,I never knew I could learn so much form one video
I didn't plan this writing cause planning it won't convey what I felt at the time.

[RuledOut xD @ruledout_]

GIVING AWAY 5 TICKETS to @blockfestafrica

to enter:
• like & RT the qt post
• tell me why you’d love to attend Blockfest Africa

i’ll pick 5 winners soon.

good luck & see you at blockfest ❤️

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

Proof of life
Let's connect 🫡

@Web3_Banditt

[IDOLO D @IdoloDreams]

Proof of life

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

No bloody way

The Obsession
The games
The heart break
The intellect
The Drunk Programmer

The Social Network was peak

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

Just watching Social Network

[Tennyson Olisa @tennysonolisa]

It’s been an underwhelming year for me. I’ve struggled to regain my form while dealing with issues in both the Nigerian chess administration and my personal life.

The African Individual Chess Championship took a lot out of me. I was playing so poorly that, at one point, I thought it would be the last time I ever played chess. A few months later, I had to withdraw from the Olympiad team because it clashed with my final examinations. The administration showed little to no concern and even ignored my message requesting some form of consolation regarding my outstanding Zone 4.2, 2025 prize money.

I moved on, graduated, and decided to make a comeback to chess. I wanted to get myself back into the right mental and competitive shape to defend my national title.

Then, on October 15, the NCF announced a new qualification format for this year’s National Chess Championship, scheduled for December. There had been no prior indication that such a change was coming, yet the new format effectively abandons a five-year qualification structure that guaranteed the reigning champion an opportunity to defend his title.

Perhaps it’s far-fetched, but it’s difficult not to feel that some of the decisions made by this administration have been particularly frustrating for me. The title of National Champion has carried barely any weight. I received no support to participate in the African Individual Chess Championship, despite being told that such support was one of the benefits of winning the national title.

We talk about producing a Grandmaster in Nigeria, yet this administration’s actions often give the impression that the welfare and development of players are not a priority. Decisions are made without sufficient consideration for the people who keep the game alive.

Over the last five years, we’ve witnessed an influx of junior players capable of competing with veterans and more experienced players. The provision of an automatic qualification slot for the highest-rated junior player was one initiative that made Nigerian chess more competitive and created opportunities for young players who were committed to the game. These are the kinds of initiatives that encourage participation, reward commitment, and help develop the next generation.

How do we expect players to grow, improve, and eventually produce a Grandmaster under these circumstances?

Nigerian chess deserves better. The players deserve better. And the people entrusted with administering the game must begin to act in the best interests of those they serve.

As the reigning National Chess Champion, I feel it is necessary to speak up about these issues. They have persisted for far too long without being adequately addressed publicly. Decisions that negatively affect players are made without sufficient transparency or accountability, and everyone is simply expected to accept them and move on. I believe it is time we had an honest conversation about the state of Nigerian chess and the way it is being administered. Remaining silent will only allow these problems to continue.

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

Right here at the Ecobank Innovated Hackathon where we qualified to the Regionals.

Haven't pitched yet
But mehn these judges have no chill 😭😭😭

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

@SuperDad10x GM Superdad

[SuperDad @SuperDad10x]

GM CT ❤️🥷🏼.

[Romeo🌹 @Romeo_Onchain]

Gamdom came into my life and changed it in ways I still struggle to put into words

Sometimes I sit back and wonder how a crazy idea of painting myself and becoming Gamdom Man turned into one of the biggest blessings of my life

What started as me simply trying to be creative opened doors I never imagined would open for someone like me

The opportunities, the people I've met, the support, and most importantly, the feeling that my dreams aren't as far away as they once seemed

I've spent years creating, believing, and hoping that one day, something would change my story

And somehow, a green superhero became part of that change

I'm so Goddamn grateful to @gamdom , @stevewilldoit , @kingadukes and everyone who has believed in this crazy character and the boy behind it.

You guys might never fully understand what this means to me

I pray I get to look back someday and say this was only the beginning

Thank you for giving my creativity a chance💚

GAMDOM WILL BE UP IN A BIT

MY FIRST STREAM WILL BE TOMMORROW

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

Just pitched at the Ecobank Hackathon
@ecobank_nigeria @VerveCard

We hope for the best
Thank you guys for the opportunity 🙏🏻

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

Right here at the Ecobank Innovated Hackathon where we qualified to the Regionals.

Haven't pitched yet
But mehn these judges have no chill 😭😭😭

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

I don't think I'll ever get used to pitching in front of a crowd

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

GM RuledOut

I'm Big Ben and this is my entry for Blockfest

I must say that Blockfest, everybody I was talking to at the time had attended it for 2 years consecutively. So in a way I heard about it before even entering X and Web3. I got to watch @SamuelXeus video for the first time on Tiktok which was the platform I used most at the time and the video was too much,I never knew I could learn so much form one video
I didn't plan this writing cause planning it won't convey what I felt at the time.

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

Shot my shot right now at a Hackathon and also on my way to an IRL Hackathon where I and my team qualified to the regionals

79 days to 2027
Let's go

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

@JumpaHQ How do I get on ?

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

@magicblock
You guys aren't ready for me 😭

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

@ezeransome @blockfestafrica I've DMed you 🫡

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

@ruledout_ My entry here😭

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

Alright
First off the project I have been working on for a week now - Avera.

Avera is a human-first collaboration platform that helps meaningful ideas find the right people and become real projects.

Users share an early idea, discover collaborators, form a focused Space, and move from purpose to conversations, tasks, and delivery in one connected place. Its moat is the social-to-shipping loop: unlike traditional workspaces that begin with an existing team and task list, Avera owns the difficult first step which is helping an idea find its people, preserve its purpose, and build enough trust and context to move forward.

[RuledOut xD @ruledout_]

one thing i’ll always advocate for in web3 is IRL events.

nothing beats being in a room with people building the things you spend your days researching, founders driving conversations, creators showcasing their work & people who can open doors for one another.

that’s what @blockfestafrica represents.

bringing together some of the brightest minds across AI, web3, tech, culture & venture capital.

from builders just finding their feet to founders looking to scale, there’s something for everyone.

sadly, i might not be there physically this time, so i want 5 of you to attend on my behalf. 🫂

🎟️ GIVING AWAY 5 TICKETS

to enter:
• like & RT this post
• tell me why you’d love to attend Blockfest Africa

i’ll pick 5 winners.
let’s get more of our people in these rooms!

good luck & see you through your timelines ❤️

[RuledOut xD @ruledout_]

GIVING AWAY 5 TICKETS to @blockfestafrica

to enter:
• like & RT the qt post
• tell me why you’d love to attend Blockfest Africa

i’ll pick 5 winners soon.

good luck & see you at blockfest ❤️

[Big Ben @Web3_Banditt]

@ruledout_ @blockfestafrica My entry😭