Tunde Onakoya Clarifies Meeting With President Tinubu Was Non-Political

Tunde Onakoya Clarifies Meeting With President Tinubu Was Non-Political

Tunde Onakoya, Nigerian chess champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, has addressed the backlash surrounding his recent visit to President Bola Tinubu, emphasizing that the meeting was not political and should not be seen as an endorsement of the current administration.

Onakoya, who recently made global headlines by breaking a second Guinness World Record for the longest non stop chess marathon playing for 64 hours in Times Square, New York faced criticism after images of his visit with the president in Lagos went viral.

Responding to the controversy, Onakoya explained that the meeting was centered around national recognition of his achievement and the ongoing efforts to uplift underprivileged children through chess. He insisted that it had no political undertones.

“I understand the sensitivity of the times, but my mission has always been about empowering young minds through chess, not politics,” he said.