By John Obi
Nigerian chess champion, Tunde Onakoya, has broken the chess marathon record of 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds, set by two Norwegian players, Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, in June 2024.
Onakoya and his chess partner, Shawn Martinez, are currently aiming to complete a 70-hour chess marathon in Times Square, New York.
The four-day non-stop gameplay , started on April 17.
In a post shared on X shortly after surpassing the current record, Onakoya , the founder of Chess in Slums Africa, expressed fulfillment and called for action to educate and create opportunities for street children in Nigeria.
“For all the dreamers! We’ve officially BROKEN THE RECORD with my brother,” he wrote.
Onakoya, 30 gained global recognition in April 2024 for completing a 60-hour chess marathon with Martinez, a US chess master and had revealed;
“We’re not just doing this for ourselves—we’re doing it for a million dreams. We want to build the biggest preschool in Africa for homeless children.
“The hardest part isn’t staying awake for three days—because a million dreams will do that. But now, more than ever, we need everyone’s support. If you’re in New York, show up at Times Square. Come support us. Help us inspire the world and show the world that it is indeed possible to do great things from a small place.
“My dream is to inspire the world and raise support to build the biggest free school for homeless children in Nigeria,” he added.
A self-taught chess master, Onakoya learnt the game in a barber’s shop. Raised in modest circumstances by a mother who worked as a cleaner to support his education, he went on to study computer science at Yaba College of Technology.
Throughout his journey, the Lagos-born chess champion has received national and international acclaim. Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, appointed him in April 2024 as the state’s sports ambassador and likened his cause to that of millions of youths in Nigeria who are struggling to make something out of their lives.
Additional reports from Channels TV
