Nigeria’s Tunde Onakoya, a chess master, known for the slogan 'doing big things from small places' has broken the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
The Nigerian surpasses the previous world record set at 56 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds by Norwegians Hallvard Haug Flatebo and Sjur Ferkingstad in 2018.
At 4:30pm West African Time Onakoya surpassed the record clocking 56 minutes, 10 minutes, since the chess marathon began at 11:30am EST on Wednesday April 17, 2024.
He had teamed up with US chess master, Shawn Martinez playing at Times Square in New York City to set a new world record of 58 hours unbeaten, and declared extention to 60 hours to accommodate all interruptions.
Nigerians in New Yorkers and others in the city have turned up to support him singing, drumming, clapping and dancing at the venue to motivate the player.
Onakoya says he is using the Guinness world record attempt as an avenue to raise $1 million to support children in underprivileged communities across Africa to open access to education.
“We’re doing this to raise funds for our project to be able to give millions of children with access to education the opportunity they deserve to learn. Let us raise the money that is needed so all of this won’t be in vain. We’re doing this to the very end, we started already. The rest is just a matter of tenacity,” he said.
So far, through his non-profit, Chess in Slums Africa and charity organisation The Gift of Chess, Onakoya has been able to raise over $81,000 with generous contributions from individuals and organisations.
He has gained support of Nigeria’s elites including Vice President Shettima, Yemi Osinbajo and Atiku Abubakar, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos state, Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun State, Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings, popular Nigerian artist Davido amongst other notable celebrities.
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