Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian chess player and notable philanthropist, has been leading the Chessinslums initiative for years. Chess in slums aims to support young and underprivileged children from slums by providing them access to education and the opportunity to pursue their aspirations, starting with chess.
As the founder of Chess in Slums, Tunde Onakoya is determined to break the Guinness World Record for the longest marathon chess play, extending the previous record by an additional 2 hours. This surpasses the previous record of 56 hours, achieved by Hallvard Flatebo and Sjur Ferkingstad in Norway in 2018.
While Tunde cherishes the prospect of achieving this feat, his primary goal is to raise $100,000 for the Chessinslums initiative. The attempt began on April 17, 2024, and is scheduled to conclude on April 19.
Tunde has already surpassed the 30-hour mark without being defeated, even by New York’s top chess master, Shawn Martinez. Many Nigerians in New York City and beyond have visited the square to show their support for Tunde, and additional support from Nigerians is being felt online. Furthermore, Tunde has received encouraging messages from current and former Nigerian vice president, Kashim Shettima and Yemi Osibajo.
Two hours into the marathon, Tunde was reportedly tired and had taken a total of 30 minutes in breaks, with an allocated 5 minutes per hour. This achievement marks a significant milestone for Chess in Slums and the Nigerian community as a whole, following the recent record-breaking achievement by Nigerian Hilda Baci.
To support the movement and contribute to raising $100,000 for the Chess in Slums initiative, individuals can follow updates on this marathon on various social media platforms, share the news, and donate directly to the cause.
