Audio By Carbonatix
Under the beaming lights of New York's iconic Times Square, Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya has broken the record for the longest chess marathon.
After playing for 58 consecutive hours he was still at the board.
Onakoya hopes to raise $1m (£805,000) for charity to support chess education for millions of children.
Hundreds of supporters from the city's Nigerian community have shown up to cheer on the chess master, including Nigerian Afrobeats star Davido.
They provided music and energised him with supplies of classic Nigerian dishes, including the beloved national staple, jollof rice.
Back home in Nigeria, people threw their support behind Onakoya as they watched him conquer the record on Twitch, a video-streaming service.
Supporters left messages on the stream commending Onakoya as an inspiration.
"Thank you for daring to dream and showing us the levels to which we can all take our brain power to! Well done Tunde! I'm going to pick up my chess board back haha," one commenter wrote.
"Mr Onakoya is a symbol of excellence and resilience that distinguish Nigerians both at home and abroad... Go, make history, and inscribe our name in gold," Nigeria's Vice-President Kashim Shettima posted on X.
"Lagos is rooting for you," Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu told Onakoya, adding that his attempt was "a powerful testament to how greatness can emerge from anywhere".
The previous world record, recognised by Guinness World records, was 56 hours, nine minutes, and 37 seconds, which was set by Norwegian duo Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad in 2018.
Onakoya, 29, credits chess with saving him from the overwhelming poverty he faced growing up in Lagos's infamous floating slums.
His non-profit, Chess in Slums Africa, teaches the game to children from poor communities and helps them with their education.
Onakoya is also a board member of the US non-profit The Gift of Chess, which works to transform lives through chess and is targeting to distribute one million chess sets to underserved communities by 2030.
Latest Stories
-
Barca dominate Levante to claim La Liga top spot
4 hours -
Managing Man Utd the ‘ultimate role’ – Carrick
5 hours -
‘Educate yourself and your kids’ – Fofana and Mejbri racially abused
5 hours -
Vinicius scores but Real Madrid beaten by Osasuna
5 hours -
Arokodare & Mundle latest players to be racially abused
5 hours -
GPL 2025/26: Hohoe United hold Aduana FC in Dormaa
5 hours -
Eze ‘wanted to prove something’ as he torments Spurs again
5 hours -
US ambassador’s Israel comments condemned by Arab and Muslim nations
6 hours -
Man jailed nine months for stealing Â
6 hours -
Woman found dead at Dzodze, police launch investigation
6 hours -
Group of SHS students allegedly assault night security guard at BESS
6 hours -
Jasikan Circuit Court remands two for conspiracy, trafficking of narcoticsÂ
6 hours -
GPL 2025/26: Asante Kotoko beat Young Apostles to go fourth
7 hours -
T-bills auction: Interest rates fell sharply to 6.4%; government exceeds target by 170%
9 hours -
Weak consumption, high unemployment rate pose greater threat to economic recovery – Databank Research
10 hours
