The Nigerian chess champion, Tunde Onakoya, recently made headlines after breaking the world record for the longest chess marathon, playing for over 58 hours in Times Square, New York City. The 29-year-old player took on this challenge in order to raise money for underprivileged children’s education across Africa. Onakoya initially aimed to play for 58 hours, but he ended up surpassing this goal and reached the 60-hour mark in the early hours of Saturday. This achievement was especially remarkable as it surpassed the previous record set by Norwegians in 2018.
Onakoya expressed his emotions following the marathon, stating that he was unable to process his feelings but believed that they had achieved something truly remarkable. Despite moments of doubt during the marathon, he found inspiration and motivation from the support of Nigerians who had traveled from around the world to cheer him on. The energetic crowd kept him going through the night, singing and dancing alongside him. While the Guinness World Records organization has yet to confirm his record-breaking feat, Onakoya’s perseverance and dedication have already made a significant impact.
During the marathon, Onakoya faced off against American chess champion Shawn Martinez, adhering to Guinness World Records guidelines that require two players to continuously play throughout the duration of the attempt. The players were only allowed five minutes of break for every hour of gameplay, which were sometimes grouped together. Onakoya used these breaks to interact with the enthusiastic crowd of Nigerians and New Yorkers who were cheering him on. His reputation in Nigeria as a child education advocate and founder of the Chess in Slums project has contributed to his widespread support.
The Chess in Slums project, initiated by Onakoya in 2018, provides young people in marginalized communities with a space to learn and play chess. Many of these children are not in school and work to support their families, highlighting the urgent need for initiatives like this in Nigeria. The country has over 10 million school-age children who are not enrolled in school, making it one of the highest numbers globally. Within the first 20 hours of the marathon, $22,000 was raised, demonstrating the overwhelming support from Nigerians in the US, global leaders, celebrities, and passersby.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu commended Onakoya for his record-breaking achievement, praising his resilience, self-belief, and ingenuity. Tinubu highlighted Onakoya’s demonstration of audacity to enact positive change, particularly in disadvantaged communities. The chess champion’s perseverance and dedication have not only broken a world record but have also raised awareness for underprivileged children’s education in Africa. Onakoya’s commitment to using his platform for social good exemplifies the potential impact that a single individual can have in transforming communities and inspiring positive change.
