Tunde Onakoya Breaks Chess Marathon Record
Under the beaming lights of New York’s iconic Times Square, Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya has broken the record for the longest chess marathon, playing for 58 consecutive hours.
Onakoya, a 29-year-old chess champion and advocate for child education, aimed to raise $1 million (£805,000) to support chess education for millions of children across Africa.
Zamfara Govt Suspends Commandant State Security Outfit Over Allegations Of Poor Funding
Hundreds of supporters from New York City’s Nigerian community gathered to cheer on Onakoya, including Nigerian Afrobeats star Davido. They provided music and energized him with supplies of classic Nigerian dishes, including the beloved national staple, jollof rice.
Back home in Nigeria, people showed their support for Onakoya as they watched him break the record on Twitch, a video-streaming service. Supporters left messages on the stream commending Onakoya as an inspiration.
Herbalist And Three Others Who Killed A Woman For Money Ritual Get Nabbed In Osun
VP Kashim Hails Tunde Onakoya
Nigeria’s Vice-President Kashim Shettima praised Onakoya’s achievement, stating, “Mr. Onakoya is a symbol of excellence and resilience that distinguishes Nigerians both at home and abroad.” Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also expressed his support, declaring, “Lagos is rooting for you.
The previous world record, recognized by Guinness World Records, was 56 hours, nine minutes, and 37 seconds, set by Norwegian duo Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad in 2018.
Onakoya credits chess with saving him from the overwhelming poverty he faced growing up in Lagos’s infamous floating slums. His non-profit organization, Chess in Slums Africa, teaches the game to children from poor communities and supports their education.
Onakoya is also a board member of the US non-profit The Gift of Chess, which aims to transform lives through chess and is targeting to distribute one million chess sets to underserved communities by 2030.
