Tunde Onakoya Receives Heroic Welcome

Nigerian chess master and founder, ‘Chess in Slums Africa’, Tunde Onakoya has returned to Nigeria after he broke the Guinness World Record for the longest time playing chess without losing a game.

Onakoya broke the record of Norwegian players, Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, who played for 56-hour, 9-minute in 2018.

He made his first stop at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja before heading to Lagos, where he was received in the warmest possible way by excited Nigerians.

Upon Arrival, Tunde said; “The moment I stepped out of the plane in Abuja last night and was almost mobbed by customs officials for a selfie, it immediately dawned on me that my reality was a different one now.

“This will definitely take a lot of getting used toSee you guys in Lagos by 2pm.”

The new record is yet to be officially acknowledged by the Guiness World Records.

Tunde Onakoya, played chess from Wednesday, April 17, 2024, till Saturday, April 21 (2:40a.m.), to beat the world record of 56 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds set in 2018 by two Norwegians – Hallvard Flatebo and Sjur Ferkingsta

He teamed up with the American Chess Master, Shawn Martinez, to play chess for 60 hours non-stop. He was unbeaten in more than 170 games.

Read Also: Tunde Onakoya sets new world record for chess marathon

Tunde’s feat marks a new history in Nigeria, a country where only a few play the chess game.

He alluded to this when he said that “it is possible to do great things from a small place.”