By Zayd Ibn Isah
The list of Nigerians who have attempted to set and break Guinness World Records for one achievement or another continues to expand, seemingly without any relent or end in sight. The running joke on social media now is that the Guinness World Records Book will soon be worn out by the time Nigerians are done with it.
And dry humour aside, it would very much begin to appear that way. After all, it was Hilda Bassey Effiong who opened the lid with her now famous cook-a-thon, and since that unforgettable time, the GWR fever has cut across the length and breadth of this country, with countless individuals riding the waves of this zeitgeist, and all of the Nigerian internet space coming together to sustain discourse around this new phenomenon. I watched a video of a young person on Facebook moving from one restaurant to another in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the highest number of restaurants visited by an individual, hoping to achieve over 120 visits within Abuja in 24 hours. Another young man has kickstarted a 150-hour ironing marathon, fully aware of the epileptic power supply in Nigeria. Such is the Nigerian spirit, the spirit of “if you can do it, I can do it too.”
But one man in particular has now managed to stand out in the midst of the record-breaking fever that has gripped the country. His story is the stuff of legends, everything in it showing the makings of an inspirational feature film. This man is none other than Tunde Onakoya, the chess maverick who took the world by storm in his attempt to break the world record for the longest chess marathon at the famous Times Square in New York. And yet, Onakoyaʼs fame (at least on the internet and select media channels) stems from the inspiring non-profit organization he is a co-founder of, Chess In Slums Africa.
As the name implies, the initiative revolves around Tundeʼs resolve to uplift and better the lives of street kids in impoverished sections of Lagos. The thoughtful initiative not only captured the hearts of people on social media, but grew considerably, drawing immense global support (financial donations trickled in, endorsements and partnerships beckoned) until Tunde Onakoya and his chess-playing mentees became literal internet sensations. According to a report published by HumAngle, “As of June 2021, Chess in Slums Africa had trained over 200 children and got lifelong scholarships for 20 of them.” Truly, it is possible to do great things from a small place, as Tunde once said.
Not only has the Chess In Slums initiative changed the lives of many youths and spoken to something positive, hopeful and beautiful about Nigeria. And this is majorly why many Nigerians in the USA came out to support Tunde as he attempted to break the current record of 56 hours, 9 minutes, and 37 seconds set by Norwegians Hallvard Haug Flatebo and Sjur Ferkingstad. Their support was not in vain at all, as Tunde would persevere and go on to break the record in grand style, playing alongside fellow chess master Shawn Martinez and others without losing a single game.
What makes Tunde Onakoya’s record attempt more unique is that he did not attempt to break the record just to gain recognition; he set out to achieve the feat to raise money for children of the poor and downtrodden who cannot afford basic needs. Even when he faced health problems during the game and was advised to quit, he refused to give up and said, “I will play on for the dreams of millions of children.”
Tunde himself confirmed the health problem he had during the campaign in his appreciation message to his fans and well-wishers on social media:
“Catching up on social media now and I’ve constantly fought back tears,” he tweeted.
“Love you guys very much. I’ll do a proper post when I get the right words to express all of the emotions I feel right now.”
“Let me delve into this jollof rice for now. It’s my first meal in almost four days. I had food poisoning during the marathon so I couldn’t eat anything at all, just water.”
What’s interesting about Tunde’s chess heroics is that his father, like every other typical African parent who wants their children to pursue careers like law, medicine, aviation, engineering, and other top professions, never supported his choice of playing chess to carve a niche for himself. I can imagine how livid he would have been upon seeing young Tunde playing chess. Probably, he might have warned him to desist from playing it and focus instead on more important pursuits. Almost every African child has a story to tell about how their parents never wanted them to pursue careers outside the classroom, whether in football or other fields. I myself am a victim of African parents’ career expectations. However, like Tunde, I was not stubborn enough to defy my parents and pursue the envisioned beautiful career in football.
Tunde’s father, Pa Onakoya, is as joyful as a lark, seeing his son fly the country’s flag in faraway America. The icing on the cake is the house gifted to Tunde Onakoya’s parents by a Good Samaritan. He announced this good news via a post on his social media handle some hours ago: “Someone gifted my parents a new house today. It’s the single greatest thing anyone will ever do for me in this lifetime. Thank you. My mother worked as a cleaner in the same school I attended so I could get an education while my dad worked as a danfo driver/bus conductor so we could feed and survive. My greatest joy in life is to be able to give them both the life they truly deserve,” he said.
Tunde Onakoya’s story carries a great lesson for African parents. As guardians, we should avoid being rigid in steering our children towards specific career paths. Our aspirations may differ from what destiny has in store for them. While I empathize with Tunde’s father’s frustration at his son’s choice of chess over a conventional career like law or medicine, I understand that it stemmed from love, not malice. Contrary to certain online opinions, what the old man wanted for Tunde was the best in life. That’s why he even had to sell his house to pay for Tunde’s WAEC exams, according to reports. Personally, I would be perturbed if my son, whom I envision as the next Gani Faweinmi or a renowned consultant, suddenly expressed a desire to pursue chess. With Nigeria’s rich sports heritage in football, boxing, and more, chess might seem unconventional. However, the crux of Tunde’s journey lies in conviction. He held steadfast to his passion, and the rest is now history.
Ultimately, the love and support he received from Nigerians are another exemplification of the Nigerian spirit. Truly, we love ourselves. It does not matter whether you are Hausa, Igbo, or Yoruba, Christian or Muslim; just fly your country’s flag in a positive light, and Nigerians from all walks of life will assemble to support you, even to the ends of the earth.
Tunde’s insistence on carrying on in the face of his health challenges is yet another example of the Nigerian spirit. When faced with seemingly impossible challenges, we always find a way to surmount the odds with our never-say-die Nigerian spirit. Truly, Naija no dey carry last.
Congratulations, Tunde Onakoya. Thank you for making all of Nigeria proud. Keep on soaring to greater heights.
Zayd Ibn Isah can be reached via lawcadet1@gmail.com
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