60 Hours, Over ₦95 Million Raised: Tunde Onakoya Breaks World Record On Longest Chess Marathon

After two days and 12 hours of continuous chess play, Nigerian-born Chess Master Tunde Onakoya has broken a new record for the longest Chess Marathon.

Onakoya set the new record alongside Shawn Martinez, a US National Chess Master, in New York, United States. They beat the previous record of 56 hours set by Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad in 2018. While Onakoya and Martinez aimed to play for 58 hours, they surpassed their target by 2 hours.

A challenge aimed at raising $1 million “for the dreams of millions of children across Africa without access to education,” the duo was able to raise over $95,000 ( ₦95 Million) according to data from the official fundraising site.

Born in Nigeria on October 6, 1994, Onakoya’s passion for chess blossomed at a barber shop in his hometown of Ikorodu. In 2018, he founded Chess In Slums Africa, a non-profit organisation based in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub.

Chess In Slums Africa started small with a group of volunteers. Today, the organisation has grown into a continental movement that helps marginalised children escape poverty through chess, using the game as a tool for social and economic transformation.

“We aim to show that children from marginalized communities have the potential to achieve great things when given the right opportunities. We want to create a new narrative for the African child,” Onakoya said.

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According to data from the Chess In Slums Africa website, the organisation has provided over $400,000 in academic scholarships and enrolled over 1,000 children in its program.

In 2022, at the Nigerian Entertainment Conference (NECLive), one of the largest entertainment conferences in West Africa, Onakoya spoke about his vision for an inclusive future.

“I started doing charity work at 22,” he said. “I realized that even with limited resources, it’s possible to make a significant impact.” He added, “I want to be known as someone who builds a future of inclusion. Remembering your purpose can be a powerful motivator.”