By Tunde Onakoya visits President Tinubu
Presents world record certificate
Summary
- Tunde Onakoya met with President Tinubu and presented his Guinness World Record certificate for the longest chess marathon
- Tinubu praised Onakoya’s work with underserved children and expressed interest in expanding Chess in Slums Africa nationwide
- The meeting sparked mixed reactions on social media, with Nigerians split between celebration and skepticism
Lagos, Nigeria — On June 9, 2025, Nigerian chess champion and social innovator Tunde Onakoya paid a visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his residence in Lagos, where he presented his Guinness World Record certificate for the longest chess marathon.
The record, achieved in April 2024 alongside American chess player Shawn Martinez in New York City, lasted 64 hours and was widely celebrated across the globe.
During the visit, Onakoya also gifted President Tinubu a gold-plated Adire chess set, an emblem of Nigerian culture and creativity. The gesture symbolized the intersection of tradition and innovation, two themes that run deep in Onakoya’s Chess in Slums Africa initiative.
Tunde Onakoya gifting President Tinubu a gold-plated Adire chess set
President Tinubu, in a statement shared on X, lauded Onakoya’s journey from the streets of Lagos to the global chess stage as “a reflection of the resilience and brilliance of Nigeria’s youth.”
He emphasized that Onakoya’s mission to empower children in marginalized communities through chess aligned closely with his administration’s vision of inclusive development: “No child left behind, no talent wasted.”
The President expressed a strong desire to see Chess in Slums Africa replicated nationwide and invited Onakoya to Abuja for further discussions on government support and collaboration.
Reactions to the meeting were swift and divided across social media. While many Nigerians hailed the recognition of Onakoya’s impact, others questioned the timing and motives of the President’s outreach, citing ongoing concerns about the neglect of the very communities Onakoya aims to uplift.
Still, the meeting marked a significant moment for the Chess in Slums Africa project, signaling potential institutional support that could scale its reach and deepen its impact across the country.
