President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took to his X handle on Saturday to congratulate Tunde Onakoya over his recent new world chess marathon record.
Onokoya, the Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate achieved the on Saturday at the Times Square in New York City. Onakoya played against Shawn Martinez, an American chess champion.
Related Stories
- Kaduna Chef Breaks Guinness World Record with 50-Hour Marathon Cooking Lessons
- Nigerian Woman Achieves Record-Breaking 55-Hour Interview Marathon
Tinubu stated: “I congratulate Tunde Onakoya @Tunde_OD on setting a new world chess record and sounding the gong of Nigeria’s resilience, self-belief, and ingenuity at the square of global acclaim.
“I celebrate this Nigerian Chess Champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa for his rare feat, but especially for the reason driving this compelling demonstration of character, which is raising funds for African children to learn and find opportunity through chess.
“Tunde has shown a streak customary among Nigeria’s youth population, the audacity to make good change happen; to baffle impossibility, and propel innovations and solutions to the nation’s challenges, even from corners of disadvantage.
“Nigeria’s youths have demonstrated in all fields, including Afrobeats, Nollywood, the pulsating skit-making enterprise, education, science, and technology, that great exploits can truly come from small quarters.
“I commend the inclination of Nigerians – across artificial partitions – for unity, once again exemplified through their undiluted support for this epoch-making endeavour.
“I assure all citizens that my administration remains strongly committed to creating and expanding opportunities for the youth to explore and exercise their abilities and become the symbols of greatness our nation represents into the future.
Initially, Onokoya aimed to play nonstop for 58 hours to beat the current record of 56 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds. But he eventually extended until he reached 60 hours at about 12:40 a.m. Saturday. The new record surpassed the current chess marathon record of 56 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds, achieved in 2018 by Norwegians Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad.