Pa Onakoya, the father of Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya, has revealed that he initially opposed his son’s interest in playing chess, News About Nigeria reports.
Despite his initial reservations, he proudly celebrated Tunde’s recent accomplishment of breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest-ever chess marathon, with a remarkable time of 60 hours at Times Square in New York, United States.
Tunde surpassed the previous record held by Norwegian players Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, who played for 56 hours and 9 minutes in 2018.
In an interview with City Edge TV at Lagos airport, where he joined his wife and many others to welcome the Guinness World Record-breaker home, Pa Onakoya reflected on his son’s journey.
He admitted that during Tunde’s childhood, he would often interrupt his chess games to encourage him to focus more on his education.
Pa Onakoya expressed his pride in his son’s achievements, describing Tunde as an ‘angel’ who always succeeds in whatever he sets his mind to.
He acknowledged that, despite his initial attempts to steer Tunde towards a different path, he now recognises the value of his son’s passion for chess.
“To me, Babatunde Onakoya is an angel because whatever he sets his mind on you must succeed.
“As a small child, when Tunde was playing chess, I usually packed everything away from him because I wanted him to focus on school. I didn’t know that it was what would make him popular like this.”
Offering advice to parents, Pa Onakoya asked them not to discourage children from pursuing their passions.
He admitted that, while he initially wanted Tunde to become a doctor, he now sees how Tunde’s dedication to chess has brought him recognition and success.
Pa Onakoya concluded by expressing gratitude to God for his son’s accomplishments, urging parents to support and nurture their children’s interests, regardless of their aspirations for them.
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