Brains over barriers: Tunde Onakoya's chess revolution in the slums 

Brains over barriers: Tunde Onakoya's chess revolution in the slums

On World Chess Day 2025, we celebrate a remarkable achievement: Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya and his partner Shawn Martinez made history in April by breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.

Guinness World Record

The duo played non-stop in New York's Times Square for an astounding 64 hours, surpassing the previous record of 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 32 seconds. Their endurance and strategic brilliance have inspired millions, highlighting both personal resilience and chess power as a global unifier.

The game was meant to raise money to fund education for vulnerable children across Africa.

Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate, plays a chess game in Times Square, Friday, April 19, 2024, in New York. Yuki Iwamura/AP

Chess for a Cause

Onakoye founded Chess in Slums Africa in 2018 to mobilize support for one million children in African slums to access education. His focus? To empower, uplift and educate one million children from marginalized communities across Africa over the next decade through chess.

He regularly organizes chess competitions among young people living on the streets, aiming to encourage them to return to school and pursue their education. UNICEF estimates that at least 10 million children are out of school in Nigeria, accounting for approximately one in three children.

A Personal Journey of Resilience

Growing up in the slums of Ikorodu, Lagos, Onakoya experienced the challenges faced by children from underprivileged families. The adversities he faced instilled in him resilience and the ability to envision overcoming difficult situations, which motivated him to establish a chess club for disadvantaged children from the slums.

Chess Slums in Africa has reached over 10,000 children, with 500 receiving fully funded scholarships.

Public Backlash Over Presidential Visit

Onakoye recently faced a public backlash when he visited President Bola Tinubu to present him with the Guinness World Record certificate. Nigerians on social media questioned his visit, arguing that it contradicted his advocacy for the education of children living on the streets, especially given widespread economic hardship and governmental corruption.

"I have no interest in partisan politics because of the sensitivity of the work that I do. If that ever changes, then I would resign my role as CEO of Chess in Slums Africa," he wrote on X in response to critics.

He further added that, regardless, the government should be held accountable. "If it means me getting some smoke as well, that's okay. I will do what I must to stand in the gap. But don't just tell lies or try to smear this important work through a single lens of politics," he added.