At the Lagos Startup Expo, amid all the product launches and startup booths, a moment of stillness swept the room when Tunde Onakoya, Guinness World Record holder for the longest unbeaten chess marathon, stepped onto the stage. But this wasn’t just another motivational session. It was a masterclass in storytelling as a business strategy—rooted in something real, raw, and profoundly African: his journey through “Chess in Slums.”
Tunde’s talk was themed “How to Win Minds, Money, and Markets with Story,” and he used his personal and community-driven mission, teaching chess to kids in Nigerian slums as a blueprint for how founders, creators, and change-makers can craft stories that move people, attract investment, and build influence.
Winning Minds: The Power of a Purpose-Driven Story
In the first segment of his speech, Tunde took us back to where it all began: the slums of Majidun in Ikorodu. Armed with nothing but a chessboard, a few volunteers, and a vision, 7 yrs ago at only 23 he began teaching kids who had never seen a classroom how to strategize, think critically, and dream bigger. He wasn’t trying to “fix poverty” overnight, he was trying to win hearts by proving that brilliance exists everywhere, if only it’s given a stage.
What made his story win minds wasn’t complexity, it was clarity and humanity. From how he had a 48hr window to present himself to the Guiness book of record to being able to miraculously secure a display spot on Times Square,The way he talked about watching children go from begging on the streets to competing on national stages was emotionally powerful and intellectually convincing. You could feel the crowd leaning in, not just to hear, but to feel what he was saying.
“People will forget what you did, but they will never forget how your story made them feel. That’s what opens doors.”
Winning Money: Why Investors Fund Belief, Not Just Metrics
In another part of the Class, Tunde touched on a truth many founders overlook: donors, sponsors, and even venture capitalists aren’t moved by decks alone—they’re moved by belief. He explained how he was able to raise money not just from Nigerians, but from global supporters, simply by telling a story that had proof.
He didn’t have an MBA. He didn’t have a grant writer. But what he had was impact, documentation, and the ability to connect his cause to a universal narrative, the story of possibility in forgotten places. From TEDx talks to features on CNN, he has demonstrated that when your story is consistent, authentic, and results-driven, the money follows.
Winning Markets: From Community to Movement
The final portion of his speech was perhaps the most strategic. Tunde showed that you don’t need to sell a product to build a market you need to sell a story that resonates across borders. Today, “Chess in Slums” is more than a project. It’s a movement, with a global audience, brand partnerships, and even corporate interest in adapting his model for wider educational reform.
He emphasized that when your story becomes a cultural conversation, your audience becomes your amplifier. Kids from Makoko are now global ambassadors of intelligence. People donate not just because it’s charity, but because it’s a testament to what African ingenuity looks like when it’s nurtured.
Final Reflection: The Blueprint is in the Story
Tunde closed his talk with something I won’t forget. He said that in a world flooded with content, the most valuable currency is attention—and the way you earn it isn’t with noise, but with narrative. Whether you’re pitching to an investor, recruiting a team, or trying to break into new markets, your story is your strongest leverage—if it’s rooted in truth, purpose, and proof.
What I experienced watching Tunde wasn’t just a speech—it was a playbook. One that every startup founder, brand builder, and nonprofit leader can adapt.
