By Nurat Uthman
Popular chess master Tunde Onakoya has clocked in 16 hours and remained undefeated as he aims to surpass the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon, which spans an impressive 58 hours.
The event which kicked off on Wednesday, April 17, and is set to conclude on April 19, drawing attention from chess enthusiasts and spectators alike
Among his notable achievements, Onakoya secured victory against New York’s own National Chess Master, Shawn Martinez, in a highly anticipated match.
On social media, updates on Onakoya’s progress are consistently shared, with a recent post on his X handle celebrating his latest victory against Martinez: “Tunde Onakoya beats a very worthy opponent and one of New York’s finest, National Chess Master Shawn Martinez!”
Providing insights into the challenge, Onakoya’s manager, known as Taiwo with the X handle “OgaBoxx,” revealed rigorous nature of the marathon.
Taiwo mentioned that following 15 hours of continuous play against 12 opponents, Onakoya took a cumulative break of 30 minutes in line with the stipulated rule of five-minute rest for every hour of play.
He wrote, “After 15 hours of continuous play and 12 games unbeaten, Tunde is now taking his accumulated break of 30 minutes. Keep supporting, keep streaming, keep donating. Your energy is what’s keeping him going.”
As the marathon unfolds, Onakoya’s remarkable feat has garnered widespread support, particularly from Nigerians both at home and abroad.
Messages of encouragement have poured in from various dignitaries, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party Atiku Abubakar, and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, among others.
The event has also not gone unnoticed by international diplomatic missions, with the US Mission Nigeria and UK in Nigeria extending their best wishes to Onakoya through their respective social media channels.
