Nigerian Chess Master Tunde Onakoya: Attempting to Break World Record for Longest Marathon and Raise Funds for Chess Education

In the bustling heart of New York City, Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya is currently in the midst of a monumental challenge – attempting to break the world record for the longest chess marathon. His ultimate goal is to play for an incredible 58 consecutive hours and raise $1 million for charity in the process. The funds raised will go towards supporting chess education for millions of children, a cause that is close to Onakoya’s heart.

Onakoya has amassed a strong support system during his marathon journey, with hundreds of fans turning up to cheer him on. Among them was popular Nigerian musician Davido, who showed up to offer his support and encouragement. The Nigerian community in New York has rallied behind Onakoya, providing him with music and energizing supplies of traditional Nigerian dishes like jollof rice.

Meanwhile, back in Nigeria, people are closely following Onakoya’s progress on Twitch, a video-streaming service. As of 03:00 on Friday New York time, Onakoya had already played for 39 hours and raised over $42,000. With the support of his fans and his unwavering determination, Onakoya is confident that he will be able to break the Guinness World Record of 56 hours, nine minutes, and 37 seconds.

Chess holds a special place in Onakoya’s heart as it helped lift him out of poverty while growing up in Lagos. Through his NGO, Chess in Slums Africa, he teaches children from underserved communities the game using it as a tool for their education. Additionally, Onakoya is involved with US non-profit organization The Gift of Chess which aims to distribute one million chess sets to underserved communities by 2030.