Retching and sicking up a little as the game chugged along, chess master Tunde Onakoya refused to quit. Now he has set a new Guiness World Record for the longest running chess marathon at 58 hours. But he would still hang in there.
“We have a fundraising goal to meet for the education of African children around the world,” the 29-year-old told his followers on X.
“This is our why—the reason we are doing this. Let’s demonstrate to the world the incredible power of love.”
Onakoya is gunning for $1m to support chess education for millions of children. The last update on the fundraiser was $33,000—a far cry from the target.
Nigerians are however cheering him online and offline. Afrobeats Star Davido, his colleague Adekunle Gold, former president candidate Omoyele Sowore, and other Nigerians in New York are there giving him back rubs. Music, Jollof Rice. Name it.
In Nigeria, many are also watching the livestream on Twitch, a video-streaming service.
President Bola Tinubu, his vice president, Lagos Gov. Babajide Sanwo Olu have offered their go-man-gos.
“Lagos is rooting for you,” Sanwo-Olu told Onakoya, adding that his attempt was “a powerful testament to how greatness can emerge from anywhere”.
Onakoya has played over 100 games in the last 58 hours. Thirteen of them for random players who showed at the venue, Times Square. Shawn Martinez, another chess master and coach from New York City, joined him after 23 hours—to meet the GWR requirement for chess.