KEY POINTS

• Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya broke the Guinness World Record with a 62-hour marathon, surpassing the previous 61-hour benchmark alongside American Shawn Martinez.
• The event raised over $500,000 to build a free school for homeless children in Lagos, continuing Onakoya’s work through Chess in Slums Africa.
• Global support surged with celebrity endorsements and institutional pledges, positioning chess as a tool for educational reform in underserved communities.

Nigerian chess prodigy Tunde Onakoya has etched his name in history by shattering the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon, enduring 62 grueling hours of continuous play alongside American chess master Shawn Martinez.

The remarkable feat, achieved in New York’s Times Square, surpassed the previous record of 61 hours—with the pair aiming to extend their session beyond 70 hours to maximize their charitable impact.

“This isn’t just about chess; it’s about showing the world what determination can achieve,” Onakoya stated during brief breaks in the marathon.

AAN TV reports that the 29-year-old Lagos native organized the event to spotlight educational inequality, with all funds raised directed toward building Nigeria’s largest tuition-free school for homeless children.

Early estimates suggest the initiative has already garnered over $500,000 in global donations.

The record attempt drew international attention, with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu praising Onakoya’s “extraordinary display of endurance and patriotism” via social media. Spectators at the venue included chess enthusiasts, Nigerian diaspora members, and even Hollywood actor Idris Elba, who joined briefly as a guest player.

Chess as a catalyst for social change

Onakoya’s journey to this milestone reflects his lifelong mission to transform lives through chess. The founder of Chess in Slums Africa, he has taught the game to over 10,000 underprivileged children since 2018, using it as a tool to develop critical thinking and unlock opportunities.

“Every move on this chessboard represents a child’s chance at education,” he explained, highlighting how proceeds will establish a vocational center in Lagos’ Makoko floating slum. The facility will combine chess instruction with STEM education and arts training for 500 annually.

Medical teams monitored both players throughout the marathon, allowing five-minute breaks every hour. Guinness World Records requires participants remain standing and maintain a 60% win rate—conditions Onakoya and Martinez exceeded despite sleep deprivation-induced hallucinations reported after hour 50.