The Father of Nigerian Chess Master, Pa Onakoya stated that he disapproved of his son playing chess while young since he always saw his son becoming a doctor.
It was reported on April 17, Tunde Onakoya started his quest to beat the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest chess marathon.
He played for more than 58 hours, winning every match, before accomplishing the feat on April 20 in Times Square in New York City.
He broke the record of Norwegian players, Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, who played for 56-hour, 9-minute in 2018.
Reacting to this, the delighted father accompanied by his wife, in an interview with City Edge TV, characterized him as a resilient person.
He acknowledged that when Tunde was a child, he used to disrupt his chess games to make him focus on his education.
He said: “To me, Babatunde Onakoya is an angel because whatever he sets his mind on, he must succeed.
“When Tunde was a little child, I used to pack everything away from him so he could concentrate on his studies while he was playing chess. I had no idea that would be the reason for his current level of popularity”.
“Parents should not dissuade their children from pursuing their passions, in my opinion. I always thought Tunde should become a doctor, but I had no idea that chess would bring him such fame. I give God thanks”.
