Close Menu
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • News
  • Interviews
  • Events
  • Fashion
  • Article
  • Lifestyle
  • Movies & TV
  • Music
What's Hot

Residents seek family of missing girl found in Anambra community

House of Reps proposes bill to stop Nigerian civil servants from using private schools, hospitals

Alozie’s strike sends Super Falcons to WAFCON final

Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • News
  • Interviews
  • Events
  • Fashion
  • Article
  • Lifestyle
  • Movies & TV
  • Music
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
DAILY BLAST
Contact
HOT TOPICS
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • News
  • Interviews
  • Events
  • Fashion
  • Article
  • Lifestyle
  • Movies & TV
  • Music
DAILY BLAST
You are at:Home»Article»Nigerian chess champion Tunde Onakoya plays for 60 hours in Times Square, breaking Guinness World Record
Article

Nigerian chess champion Tunde Onakoya plays for 60 hours in Times Square, breaking Guinness World Record

DailyblastBy DailyblastApril 20, 2024013 Mins Read
Share WhatsApp Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email Telegram Copy Link
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email WhatsApp Copy Link

Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate Tunde Onakoya has broken the record for the longest chess marathon after playing for an extraordinary 60 hours nonstop under the bright lights of New York City’s Times Square.

The Guinness World Record organization has not yet confirmed Onakoya’s attempt, which can sometimes take weeks, but for many Nigerians, the 29-year-old is already considered something of a national hero.

Related posts:

  1. Hilda Bassey completes 100 hours of marathon cooking as Nigerians await Guinness World Record
  2. Guinness World Record: Lecturer set to lecture for 150 hours
  3. Nigerian dry cleaner invites public to bring clothes for free ironing, targets 120-hour Guinness World Record
  4. Ghanaian chef arrested for forging Guinness World Record in cooking marathon

Onakoya is attempting to raise $1 million for a charity to support education for children across Africa.

He had aimed to play for 58 hours but continued until hitting the 60-hour mark in the early hours of Saturday morning, surpassing the previous record of 56 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds set in 2018 by Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad of Norway.

Onakoya took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to announce his intention to play for longer, saying, “We’re pushing to 60 hours, guys. We’re not stopping yet. Let’s keep going. We have a fundraising goal to meet for the education of African children around the world. This is our why – the reason we are doing this.”

Chess in Slums Africa, the charity Onakoya founded in 2018, aims to help educate 1 million children in slum communities across the continent.

Onakoya played against Shawn Martinez, a US chess champion, in accordance with the Guinness World Record guidelines that any attempt to break the record must be made by two players who play continuously for the duration.

Fueled by Nigerian jollof rice, Afrobeats music and messages of support from across the globe, Onakoya won every game against Martinez. Among those who came out to cheer him on in Manhattan were Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Davido and singer Adekunle Gold.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu was among those who congratulated Onakoya online, praising him for “setting a new world chess record and sounding the gong of Nigeria’s resilience, self-belief, and ingenuity at the square of global acclaim,” in a statement shared by his aide Ajuri Ngelale.

“I celebrate this Nigerian Chess Champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa for his rare feat, but especially for the reason driving this compelling demonstration of character, which is raising funds for African children to learn and find opportunity through chess,” Tinubu added.

The match drew significant attention in Nigeria and was broadcast across multiple locations in Lagos, the country’s largest city, featuring watch parties and digital billboards.

Onakoya founded Chess in Slums Africa, which seeks to empower children in underprivileged communities by using chess to enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills, in Lagos.

Post Views: 991
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email Telegram WhatsApp Copy Link
Previous ArticleAllow your daughters marry blind men – Visually impaired group begs Nigerians
Next Article Hoodlums steal electoral materials, unleash violence at the Ondo APC governorship primary
Dailyblast

Related Posts

Residents seek family of missing girl found in Anambra community

July 23, 2025

Man sentenced to 21 years in jail for raping 3-month-old baby in Nasarawa

July 22, 2025

Army and DSS rescue Catholic priest abducted by Boko Haram terrorists in Borno

July 22, 2025
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Recent Posts
  • Residents seek family of missing girl found in Anambra community July 23, 2025
  • House of Reps proposes bill to stop Nigerian civil servants from using private schools, hospitals July 23, 2025
  • Alozie’s strike sends Super Falcons to WAFCON final July 23, 2025
  • Senate approves $21.5billion 2025/2026 external borrowings for Tinubu govt July 23, 2025
  • Self-Discovery Questionnaire by Dr. Kolawole Ebire officially unveiled July 22, 2025
Top Posts

My husband asked me to beg Nigerians for forgiveness before his death – Aisha Buhari

July 13, 20256,229 Views

(Video) female prison officer filmed having sex with inmate in London prison

June 29, 20241,866 Views

UNN suspends lecturer for allegedly impregnating four students

February 17, 20253,339 Views
Latest Reviews
Most Popular

My husband asked me to beg Nigerians for forgiveness before his death – Aisha Buhari

July 13, 20256,229 Views

(Video) female prison officer filmed having sex with inmate in London prison

June 29, 20241,866 Views

UNN suspends lecturer for allegedly impregnating four students

February 17, 20253,339 Views
Our Picks

Residents seek family of missing girl found in Anambra community

House of Reps proposes bill to stop Nigerian civil servants from using private schools, hospitals

Alozie’s strike sends Super Falcons to WAFCON final

© 2025
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.