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 (ÂŁ805,000) 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
-
First Lady joins mourners at funeral of Sammy Gyamfi’s father-in-law
1 minute -
Xenophobic attacks: Abu Jinapor warns against retaliatory attacks on South Africans
2 minutes -
Abu Jinapor urges African Union action over xenophobic attacks in South Africa
14 minutes -
Ghanaian teacher was detained at Dulles Airport for over a week after admitting asylum plans
25 minutes -
Novel consultation process on bill caused public confusion – Acting NITA boss
28 minutes -
TVET financing model failing students and employers – Eduwatch boss warns
33 minutes -
Proposed NITA Bill: Effia MP urges stronger stakeholder engagement
35 minutes -
NITA: We’ve been transparent throughout digital bills consultation process – Sam George
47 minutes -
CNBC Africa partners KGL Group
1 hour -
NDC amendments have watered down Anti-LGBTQ bill – NPP MP
1 hour -
Technology Consultant warns against expansive regulation in proposed NITA Bill
1 hour -
NPP agitation over Anti-LGBTQ+Bill purely political – Sam George
1 hour -
NITA Bill: ‘I hear the tech industry, but we won’t rewrite rules’ – Sam George to critics on legislative process
1 hour -
First of five men found alive in flooded Laos cave rescued
2 hours -
Effia MP urges end to politicisation following passage of Anti-LGBTQ Bill
2 hours