Tunde Onakoya says chess, in 2022, allowed him to travel out of Nigeria for the first time.

On Wednesday, Onakoya commenced his attempt to break the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest chess marathon.

The marathon chess playing was held at Times Square in New York City, US.

The chess master aimed to play different games for 58 hours without losing.

Announcing his attempt, he said he hopes to empower illiterate children across Africa through the feat.

Onakoya achieved the feat in the early hours of Saturday.

Speaking at the venue of the event, the child education advocate revealed that he grew up in the slums.

Onakoya said the first time he got on a plane to leave Lagos in Nigeria was two years ago.

He added that playing chess allowed him to discover his potential.

“What we are advocating for is that there are millions of children without access to opportunities like us,” he said.

“And it is important that they feel seen just like the way the rest of the world sees me now because of my capacity to do this thing that everyone seems so marvelled by.

“But in actual reality, I also grew up in the slums like these kids. The first time I ever left Lagos was just two years ago.

“The first time I ever got on a plane to leave my country was two years ago. Chess gave me an opportunity to find out what I could truly become.

“And I think that’s the greatest gift that you could ever give anyone, by helping them see their potential.”

Onakoya is the founder of Chess in Slums Africa, a nonprofit organisation.

The chess master earlier said that the “ultimate goal” of his world record attempt was to raise the sum of $1,000,000.

He said the money will be used to transform the lives of underserved children across Africa.

As of the time of this report, the fundraiser has garnered over $108,000.

It is believed the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, have a final shortlist of three coaches, from which they will pick the next head coach of the Super Eagles.

They are: Emmanuel Amunike, Domenec Torrent and Antonio Conceicao.

“I think that, in the first place, it must have been a quite underwhelming set of applicants that these are the three best candidates,” Solace Chukwu, Site coordinator, AfrikFoot NG tells DAILY POST.

“Conceicao has the strongest merit but Amuneke has not managed anywhere in a few years and Torrent has extremely limited success and/or experience as either a head coach or in international football.”

Amunike is the only local coach on the shortlist. He excelled as coach of Nigeria’s U17 team, leading them to glory at the FIFA U17 World Cup.

He also led Tanzania to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations – their first in nearly 40 years.

However, Amunike’s record with Egypt’s Misr Lel Makkasa and Zambia’s Zanaco left much to be desired.

The 53-year-old coach also failed to help the Nigeria U20 team qualify for the AFCON in 2017.

Conceicao, 62, is no stranger to African football, having previously managed Cameroon.

He led the Indomitable Lions to a third-place finish at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.

Since leaving the Cameroon position in 2022, Conceicao has been without a job.

Torrent is a former assistant to Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola,

The 61-year-old has worked closely with Guardiola throughout his coaching career, including stints at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.

Torrent has since transitioned into a head coach role himself. Apart from coaching Girona, he has managed in Major League Soccer (MLS) with New York City FC.

The Spaniard has also coached Brazilian Serie A club, Flamengo, and most recently led Turkish Super Lig side, Galatasaray.

It is believed that Torrent is a big favourite among NFF board members.

So, do those in the football house have an obsession with foreign coaches?

“That does seem to be the case. While some might attribute that to thinly veiled internalized prejudice against our own indigenous coaches, I think we also have to consider the fact that our indigenous coaches seldom do enough to test and prove themselves worthy.

“That, I feel, is the bigger issue. If a Nigerian coach went to, say, Morocco, South Africa or Egypt, and won league titles there, on what basis would anyone question their viability?

“Keshi qualified Togo for a World Cup and took charge of Mali as well. When he was appointed, even those who had a problem with his personality could not say he was unqualified for the role,” Chukwu explains.

So, why should the NFF go ahead and appoint Amunike instead of a foreigner?

“Well, it depends on who the foreign person is, really,” Chukwu notes.

“I’m personally not persuaded any foreigner is better than Amunike (or any indigenous coach for that matter).

“However, speaking objectively, there is no Nigerian candidate who applied that combines international experience, (a measure of) success, and (if ongoing/recent employment can be considered a proxy for that) currency of ideas.”

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is expected to take delivery of six M-346 fighter aircraft before the end of 2024.

In November 2023, NAF struck a deal with Messrs Leonardo, an Italian defence company, for the supply of 24 M-346 fighter aircraft.

The deal is reportedly worth around €1.2 billion.

On Wednesday, Claudio Sabatino, the vice-president of the Italian company, visited NAF headquarters in Abuja and met with Hasan Abubakar, the chief of air staff.

In a statement by Edward Gabkwet, NAF spokesperson, Sabatino was quoted to have assured Abubakar of the timely delivery of the first batch of the aircraft.

Sabatino said further agreement between NAF and the company would be necessary to complete some aspects of the projects.

He added that after the final agreement, the maintenance of the aircraft fleet would not constitute a challenge as there is a binding agreement for the 25-year maintenance support.

Sabatino disclosed that the manufacturing of the aircraft fleet has reached an “appreciable state”.

On his part, Abubakar commended the company for the “assurance of long-term maintenance support” for the aircraft fleet.

The NAF chief urged the Italian company to set up a maintenance hub in Nigeria to serve the needs of its African clients.

“Reflecting on the journey thus far, Air Marshal Abubakar also acknowledged the challenges overcome and expressed optimism for the future trajectory of the partnership,” the statement reads.

“Envisioning the operational impact that the M-346 fighter aircraft, Air Marshal Abubakar underscored its dual role in bolstering training capabilities and augmenting operational effectiveness in diverse mission scenarios.

“Moreover, the prospect of close air support, air interdiction, and tactical reconnaissance as well as advanced pilot training capabilities inherent in the M-346 fighter aircraft heralded a new prospect for NAF’s operational versatility.”

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has faced hurdles regarding its students’ participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program.

This is due to the university’s distinct structure as an open and distance learning institution, which doesn’t conform to the traditional requirements of NYSC involvement, necessitating physical presence on a university campus for a designated period.

The genesis of this situation can be traced back to the establishment of NOUN.

During the Fourth National Development Plan (1981-1985), the National University Commission (NUC), under the leadership of Prof. Jubril Aminu, proposed the creation of an autonomous Open University for Nigeria.

The Federal Government embraced this proposition and later incorporated into the National Policy on Education in 1977.

Section Five Paragraphs 40, Sub-section A of the Policy emphasised the government’s commitment to extending higher education access through various means, including universities, correspondence courses, open universities, part-time, and work-study programs.

The ineligibility lies in NUC’s regulations, which bar individuals enrolled in part-time studies from participating in the NYSC.

This restriction is rooted in the original act establishing NOUN, which describes the university’s mode of instruction as correspondence-based, thus categorising it as part-time education and rendering its students ineligible for NYSC enrollment.

Efforts to address this discrepancy have been ongoing.

In 2018, the Nigerian Senate passed a bill to grant NOUN graduates the opportunity to participate in the NYSC and enroll in the Nigerian Law School.

This legislative action marked a significant stride toward integrating NOUN graduates into national service programs, hinting at a potential shift in policy to accommodate NOUN’s unique educational framework.

Following a recent criticism and condemnation from members of the public over the report of N42 million as school fees per annum for each primary school student and N2 million as a non-refundable registration fee at the Charterhouse, a private-owned British school which is newly opened in Lagos and its first in Africa, the management has reacted.

Meanwhile, some had described the fees as extremely outrageous and also a waste of scarce resources for any parent to pay such a huge amount of money to sponsor just a primary school pupil in an economy such as Nigeria’s where the majority of citizens wallow in abject poverty and the minimum wage is just N30,000 per month.

Some others also expressed reservations on the matter, which went viral on the social media space, especially X (formerly Twitter), stating that it is not by compulsion for any parents to enrol their children in the school.

But the school in its reaction denied knowing the public outrage against its fees.

It says people have the right to express their opinions and feelings on their fees and any other issues they feel concerned about, but parents who have an interest in bringing their children to Charterhouse are not complaining.

ALSO READ: Sanwo-Olu, British envoy excited as UK private school opens in Lagos

Speaking to Tribune Online in an exclusive interview, the director of Communications, Admissions and Marketing of the school, Mr Damilola Olatunbosun, explained why the school has to charge up to that amount.

He said, “Charterhouse is not just like every other school anywhere globally but a prestigious and value-driven world-class educational institution that parents, who love quality and second to none education will always want their children to be.”

He noted that since the school was officially launched last September, many parents have shown interest in enrolling their children.

According to him, most parents who come to us are not surprised about our fees as it is within what they can afford.

“Some parents are here in Nigeria and some based abroad. And they know the quality of education we will give to their children. It is about value and not whether the fees is high or not.

“They know it will cost them more if they are to send their children abroad and get the same quality and value we will give them here in Nigeria. The foreign exchange and the associated costs as well as nearness.

“Even though, we are yet to commence academic activities and we have not also done with our construction works, no school in Nigeria has the facilities we have already put in place.

“And it is not all about physical structures in Charterhouse, but also about quality, both academic and extra-curriculum, and value for our learners.

“Schooling in Charterhouse Lagos will be the same as in Charterhouse UK or any other high-profile UK-based school. The only difference is that the Chaterhouse here will be immersed in the Nigerian culture thereby giving our students the best of British education in a multicultural environment.

“So, we are not just any other school, and many prominent Nigerians, who are either products of Charterhouse or have any of their children or relations attended the school in the UK are very glad that Charterhouse is now here in Lagos Nigeria.

“Even here in Lagos, there are some schools, for example, that charge in millions of Naira per annum while some in hundreds of thousands and yet some others charge something lesser.

“So, it is now left for parents to decide which one to enrol their children based on the value they want and their purse.

“We are building on 70 hectares of land in Lekki and it will cost us over $150 million at completion and that is why we are very sure that by the time we are done, people will appreciate us better.”

Olatunbosun explained further that even though the original plan of the school is to open its primary school section doors for its first batch of pupils this September, the second batch which is for junior secondary school students in 2026 and the third batch, which are senior school students two years after, the school has now decided to bring backwards the second batch to 2025 based on the parents’ demand.

“So, those who want quality and familiar with Charterhouse know why their children must come to our school.

When asked if the school had ever envisaged huge patronage even at inception, he answered in affirmation, saying “We knew that most Nigerians value quality education and those who have the financial wherewithal would not mind to pay for it.

“So, to us, we are not surprised about the large number of patronage we have received so far.”

Speaking on whether the school would now likely adjust its fees downward particularly due to the wide criticism, the school’s spokesman emphasised that parents coming to enrol their children know and understand that accessing quality education will not come cheap.

According to him, “education is like somebody who is hungry and wants to take lunch and go to a restaurant where a plate of food is N5,000 and another go elsewhere to take the same size of food at just N2,000 and yet another go elsewhere where he or she will get it for N15,000 or more.

“Though the food may look alike, their value will never be the same.

“So, it is about providing value for money and that is what we do at Charterhouse.”

The federal government says it will pin down Ways and Means advances to deal with the problem of too much liquidity in the system to stem inflation.

Wale Edun minister of finance and co-ordinating minister of the economy, spoke to journalists in Washington DC, United States, shortly after a meeting with investors at the on-going spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

He told the global gathering that the current administration, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is fully determined to “pin down” Ways and Means to alleviate the pressure of the excess money in the system.

The minister said the fiscal and monetary authorities are also working towards bringing down inflation.

“The two authorities are working hand in hand to bring down inflation and pressure on price stability and stabilising the exchange rate with the target of bringing down interest rates so that investors can borrow at a more affordable rate with a view to getting the economy going the right direction again,” Edun said.

“We need to borrow less and focus more on domestic resource mobilisation. We want long-term resources to avoid repayment and refinancing pressures.”

Speaking on food security, Edun said the present administration is dealing with the problem in order to provide farmers’ with access to their farms, especially in parts of the country where insecurity has played a major role in reducing food production.

Edun added that agro clusters are being developed in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to increase food production in the country.

Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Lydia Shehu Jafiya, permanent secretary, federal ministry of finance, and Zainab Ahmed, former minister of finance, were some of the top government officials who attended the meeting.

On February 9, Cardoso had said the CBN would halt its Ways and Means advances to the federal government.

He said the apex bank would no longer be a part of the Ways and Means agreement with the federal government until all outstanding debts are refunded.

Adesola Adeduntan, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, has resigned from his position.

According to a letter addressed to Tunde Hassan-Odukale, the bank’s board chairman, Adeduntan’s tenure ought to elapse on December 31, 2024.

However, he voluntarily decided to step down on April 20.

“As you are aware, my contract would be expiring on 31 December 2024 after which I would no longer be eligible for employment within the Bank having served as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank for a record time of nine years,” Adeduntan said.

“During this period the Bank and its subsidiaries has undergone significant changes and broken new grounds. We have repositioned the institution as an enviable financial giant in Africa.

“I have however decided to proceed on retirement with effect from 20 April 2024 to pursue other interests.”

Furthermore, he expressed gratitude towards the board of directors of First Bank and FBN Holdings for the support he received from them during his tenure.

Adeduntan was appointed as CEO of First Bank in 2016.

Prior to his appointment, he served as the bank’s executive director and chief financial officer (CFO).

Before joining First Bank in July 2014, he was a director and the pioneer CFO/business manager of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

Adeduntan formerly worked as a senior vice-president and CFO at Citibank Nigeria Limited, as a senior manager in the financial services group of KPMG Professional Services, and as a manager at Arthur Andersen Nigeria.

The naira reversed the appreciation trend at the parallel section of the foreign exchange market on Friday.

The local currency depreciated by 17.14 percent to N1,230 per dollar — from N1,050/$ on April 17.

Currency traders, known as bureau de change (BDC) operators, quoted the buying rate at N1,200 and the selling price at N1,230 — leaving a profit margin of N30.

“The price of the dollar against naira increased since yesterday, probably due to the fact that there has been an increased demand since yesterday,” Aliyu, a BDC operator, said.

Meanwhile, the decline ended the upward trend of the naira at the street market since March 20, when the FX rate was N1,500/$.

At the official window, the naira depreciated to N1,169.99 against the dollar on Friday — a 1.38 percent drop from the N1,154.08/$ traded on April 18.

The local currency traded at a high of N1,236 and a low of N1,021, according to FMDQ Exchange, a platform that oversees official FX trading in Nigeria.

The development comes a day after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) denied selling FX to BDC operators at the rate of N1,001/$1.

CBN, in a post on X on April 18, said a circular claiming the apex bank announced the sale of $10,000 to BDCs at the rate of N1,001/$1 was “fake”.

The apex bank urged Nigerians to always refer to its website for authentic information.

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya, on setting a new world chess record and sounding the gong of Nigeria’s resilience, self-belief, and ingenuity at the square of global acclaim.

Onakoya broke the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest chess marathon on Saturday, after playing for over 58 hours and winning every match in tow.

President Tinubu, in a statement by Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, celebrated the Nigerian Chess Champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa for the rare feat, but especially for the reason driving this compelling demonstration of character, which is raising funds for African children to learn and find opportunity through chess.

The President stated that Onakoya has shown a streak customary among Nigeria’s youth population, the audacity to make good change happen; to baffle impossibility, and propel innovations and solutions to the nation’s challenges, even from corners of disadvantage.

The President affirmed that Nigeria’s youths have demonstrated in all fields, including Afrobeats, Nollywood, the pulsating skit-making enterprise, education, science, and technology, that great exploits can truly come from small quarters.

President Tinubu commended the inclination of Nigerians – across artificial partitions – for unity, once again exemplified through their undiluted support for this epoch-making endeavour.

The President assured all citizens that his administration remains strongly committed to creating and expanding opportunities for the youth to explore and exercise their abilities and become the symbols of greatness our nation represents into the future.

Tunde Onakoya, a chess master from Nigeria, achieved a remarkable feat on Saturday, April 20, by setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest continuous chess marathon.

On his official X account, he excitedly shared the news with his followers, expressing determination to push the record to 60 hours while emphasizing the charitable cause behind his endeavor – raising funds for the education of underprivileged African children worldwide.

Surpassing the previous record of 56 hours and 9 minutes set by Norwegian players, Tunde’s marathon took place at the iconic Times Square in New York City. 

Partnering with US counterpart Shawn Martinez, both national masters, Tunde aimed not only to break a record but also to draw attention to the importance of providing educational opportunities to disadvantaged children across Africa.

As of Saturday morning, Onakoya has garnered nearly $100,000 in donations.

Joined by Martinez after 23 hours of play, the duo continued their quest, garnering support from notable figures including Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and musicians Davido and Adekunle Gold.

Through their determination and support, Tunde and Shawn showcased the power of unity and love in making a positive impact on the world.