Renowned Nigerian chess master and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, Tunde Onakoya, met with President Bola Tinubu on Monday night, where he officially presented his Guinness World Record (GWR) certificate for the longest chess marathon.

The meeting was revealed via a post on the president’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle. In the statement, President Tinubu praised Onakoya for his dedication to empowering underprivileged children and for using chess as a tool to promote education, discipline, and community development.

“I received Tunde Onakoya, founder of Chess in Slums Africa, at my residence today where he also presented his World Record for the longest Chess Marathon,” Tinubu stated.

“Tunde’s journey—from the streets of Lagos to mentoring disadvantaged children and breaking world records—reflects the resilience and brilliance of Nigeria’s youth. Through chess, he opens minds and transforms lives in communities that are too often overlooked.”

President Tinubu also expressed his administration’s interest in supporting and scaling Onakoya’s initiative nationwide.

“I would love to see how his work can be replicated across the country and look forward to meeting him again in Abuja to discuss how the government can support his vision.

“Tunde Onakoya’s vision aligns with our administration’s commitment: no child left behind, no talent wasted. Nigeria is proud of him, and we will walk with him.”

Onakoya, alongside American chess player Shawn Martinez, set a new Guinness World Record after playing chess continuously for 64 hours in New York City—surpassing his previous 60-hour record, which had briefly been eclipsed by a Norwegian pair in 2024.