BREAKING: Tunde Onakoya breaks Guiness record for longest chess marathon – Newstrends
Connect with us

metro

BREAKING: Tunde Onakoya breaks Guiness record for longest chess marathon

Published

on

Tunde Onakoya

BREAKING: Tunde Onakoya breaks Guiness record for longest chess marathon

Chess master and founder of Chess in Slums Africa,Tunde Onakoya, has broken the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.

Alongside U.S. chess master Shawn Martinez, Onakoya surpassed the previous record of 61 hours, reaching an impressive 62 hours.

Their ultimate goal is to extend the marathon beyond 70 hours.

Onakoya on X, wrote: “For all the dreamers! We’ve officially broken the record!

“If you had 70 hours to change the world, what would you do? Sometimes, you have to carve it out of your own breath, your own becoming. Not for applause. Not for records. But for the quiet dreamers who need to see someone leap—so they know it’s possible to fly.

“Every move, every hour, a love letter to children who’ve never known the luxury of a second chance. If your heart has ever burned for something bigger than yourself, come find us. Stand with us.”

READ ALSO:

The chess marathon, which began on April 17 in Times Square, New York City, is not just about setting a new record; it’s a noble endeavor to raise awareness and funds for a worthy cause.

Onakoya’s initiative aims to build Nigeria’s largest free school for homeless children, providing them with educational opportunities and a chance at a better life.

Throughout the marathon, Onakoya has shared inspiring messages, emphasising the importance of perseverance and dedication.

He has also used the platform to raise awareness about the plight of underprivileged children and the need for support.

In April 2024, he completed a 60-hour marathon alongside Martinez, surpassing the previous record of 56 hours set in 2018.

However, the achievement was short-lived, as a pair of Norwegian players set a new record of 61 hours just two months later.

Now, a year later, Onakoya and Martinez are back, determined to reclaim the title and set a new world record.

 

BREAKING: Tunde Onakoya breaks Guiness record for longest chess marathon

metro

Final year student commits suicide in Ondo, police launch investigation

Published

on

Rufus Giwa Polytechnic

Final year student commits suicide in Ondo, police launch investigation

A 28-year-old final year student of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO), Precious Arobo, has reportedly taken his own life in Ondo

Arobo, a Higher National Diploma (HND) II student, was found dead in a bush near his residence by local residents. Sources said he allegedly left behind a suicide note before hanging himself, although the exact circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear.

According to sources, the suicide note hinted at emotional distress believed to be related to a troubled relationship.

It was gathered that his grieving parents have since buried him, with friends and colleagues describing him as a kind and well-loved individual.

READ ALSO:

“He has been buried, and the parents were heartbroken over his death,”.

Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the command has commenced an investigation and assured that the true cause of the suicide will be uncovered.

This tragic case came less than a year after a similar incident involving a female student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Modupe Ayandare, who also reportedly died by suicide after a church vigil.

Like Arobo, she was said to have left a suicide note before taking her life in an uncompleted building near the church.

Final year student commits suicide in Ondo, police launch investigation

Continue Reading

metro

Protest in Lapai after gunmen killed IBB varsity student

Published

on

Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai

Protest in Lapai after gunmen killed IBB varsity student

The Niger State Police Command on Monday confirmed the death of Jafar, a 300-level student of Chemistry Education at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, who was murdered in his lodge during a suspected armed robbery attack.

Gunmen believed to be robbers invaded the students’ residence around the Ndakitabu area, directly opposite the university’s main gate along Lapai-Minna Road, at about 2:30 a.m. on June 23, 2025. The attackers stabbed the student in the neck before fleeing the scene.

Confirming the incident, the command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, told newsmen that the case is being treated as a homicide.

“Today being June 23, 2025, at about 3am, information was received that at about 2.30am, some hoodlums attacked a student lodge at Ndakitabu area via Lapai,” he said.

READ ALSO:

Abiodun said the Police operatives of Lapai Division rushed to the scene, but the “suspected robbers had escaped”.

“Unfortunately, one Jafar was stabbed on the neck and he was rushed to the general hospital in Lapai where he was later confirmed dead.

“As a result, some students barricaded the Agaie-Lapai road, protesting against this incident.

“However, tactical teams of the Command have been dispatched to Lapai to ensure that normalcy is restored, while investigation into the unfortunate incident has commenced as the Commissioner of Police directed that the perpetrators of this heinous crime must be arrested and brought to book.”

Following the killing, angry students staged protests and blocked major routes including the Lapai-Agaie and Lapai-Minna roads.

The protesters blamed the incident on alleged negligence and a lack of security measures from university authorities and relevant agencies.

Protest in Lapai after gunmen killed IBB varsity student

Continue Reading

metro

NNPC hikes petrol price to N945 in Abuja, N915 Lagos

Published

on

NNPC hikes petrol price to N945 in Abuja, N915 Lagos

Retail outlets owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) have effected an upward adjustment in the pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, to N945 per litre in the FCT on Monday.

The NNPCL increased petrol pump prices to ₦915 per litre at various Lagos retail stores, indicating a positive trend in the downstream market.

The newest rise is N45 and N35 in Lagos and Abuja, respectively, up from previous prices of N870 and N910 per litre.

The price modifications come only days after the Dangote Petroleum Refinery raised its ex-depot price of petrol from N825 to N880 per litre, provoking an industry-wide response.

Our correspondent reported that the new pricing was imposed at some NNPC-owned filling stations, putting further financial hardship on consumers already dealing with expensive transportation and living expenditures.

The new price of N945 per litre was prominently advertised at the NNPC retail location in the Federal Housing section of Kubwa, Abuja, with similar changes reported at the state-owned mega station on Obasanjo Way.

In Lagos, stations in Igando and along the Badagry Motorway displayed the revised N915 per litre pricing.

READ ALSO:

The rippling effect was also seen in private retail stores. MRS Filling Stations, a major partner of the Dangote refinery, increased pump prices in Lagos to ₦925 per litre, up from ₦875.

TotalEnergies followed suit with a new price of N910, while other marketers, such as Oluwafemi Arowolo Petroleum in Iba, raised prices to N920 a litre.

Depot sources verified to the press that key Lagos supply hubs, including Wosbab, Pinnacle, and NIPCO, have set PMS ex-depot rates between N920 and N925 per litre as of June 23, citing higher upstream expenses and international oil prices.

On the global stage, the intensifying dispute between the United States and Iran has continued to shock the oil market, with many predicting that crude oil prices will soon exceed $80 per barrel. A weekend bombing reportedly carried out by US-Israeli forces on Iranian nuclear sites has raised concerns about supply disruptions.

Concerned about this trend, independent marketers have warned that unless action is taken quickly, petrol prices may rise above ₦1,000 per litre in the coming weeks, owing to rising international oil prices and a weakening naira.

Olatide Jeremiah, Chief Executive Officer of PetroleumPrice.ng, claimed, “Private depots are likely to increase petrol prices to N1,000 in the coming days with the current trend observed in the market. If by tomorrow morning, crude prices increase to $80 or exceed that threshold, Nigerians would pay N1,000 at depots.

“The situation means they will take advantage of Nigerians, but we can only hope that Dangote maintains its current price; that is the only way depot owners won’t jack up the price anyhow.

“The price surge seen last week was basically because Dangote stopped selling for some days. But it has opened up its portal and is now selling at ₦880 for two million litres. Dangote remains a major determinant of petrol price.”

NNPC hikes petrol price to N945 in Abuja, N915 Lagos

Continue Reading

Trending