Nigerian Professional Chess Master Tunde Onakoya Attempts to Break Guinness Record

Tunde Onakoya was born on the 6th of  October 1994 in Ikorodu, Lagos, Nigeria. Growing up in the slums of Lagos, he was unable to go to school and his mother worked for a school as a cleaner in exchange for his school fees.

Onakoya soon learned how to play chess at a barber's shop in a slum in Ikorodu, Lagos where he grew up. This new talent of his soon opened doors for him as he was able to get back to school and win various scholarships.

Onakoya eventually obtained his diploma in computer science at Yaba College of Technology, where he was a gold medalist representing the school in Nigeria Polytechnic Games and also at the RCCG Chess Championship. He also won at the National Friends of Chess and the Chevron Chess Open.

In September 2018, Onakoya started his non-profit organization called "Chess in Slums Africa", as a volunteer-driven organization with the mandate of educating and empowering young children in impoverished communities through chess.

He has organized a number of interventions for children across slums in Lagos state including Majidun (Ikorodu), Makoko and recently, Oshodi. The children are engaged in a two-week session that seeks to unlock their potential through the game of chess while learning to read, write and acquire basic literacy skills.

On the 21st of April 2024, Tunde attempted to break the Guinness world record for the longest chess marathon by playing for a ground-breaking period of 60 hours in Times Square, New York City. His intention is to raise $1,000,000 to sponsor the education of children across Africa.
He was given a heroic welcome on his arrival to Nigeria.

Guinness is yet to confirm the record because the process usually takes weeks. The previous world record was set by Sjur Ferkingstad and Hallvard Haug Flatebø in Norway.
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Tunde Onakoya is one of the many Nigerians making us proud and he is a source of inspiration to many Nigerians worldwide.