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The list of needless Guinness World Records attempts may be unnecessarily long, but the impactful ones propel the participants into history makers. Now, Nigerian singer Isaac Geralds sets up in Washington, D.C., to make a new record of 110 hours of sing-a-thon.
On June 2, 2024, Isaac Geralds kicked off his attempt to beat India’s Sunil Waghmare’s 105-hour longest consecutive singing session set in 2012.
Isaac Geralds’ name is stickily carried by his music and performances. He’s an alternative singer-songwriter, music performer and voice coach. Some may recognise him from the MTN Project Fame season four. Some may know him from his songs with Tiwa Savage, M.I Abaga, Falz, Poe, etc. Many more will know him during his GWR attempt.
Only this time, he’s not doing it for just himself; he’s also raising awareness and funds for kids living with autism. Issac Geralds hopes to raise $500,000 to directly support the Efe Irele Autism Foundation of Nigeria and The Children’s Hospital in DC; two organisations that provide care and support to the autism community.
According to the Guinness rules, Isaac is allowed a set amount of breaks for refreshment and bathroom use. Other than those times , the singing goes on.
Isaac Gerald’s singing session is now on its second day and has garnered global support from American TV personalities like Tisha Lewis and Guy Lambert, along with TV network Fox 5, have rallied behind him. This international support lauds the importance of his endeavour and the widespread recognition of the cause he’s championing in Washington DC.
Hilda Baci inspired many Nigerians after she embarked on a 100-hour cook-a-thon in an attempt to break a Guinness World Record. And a young Chef Dami from Ekiti took things to another level when she entered a makeshift kitchen to cook for 120 hours straight.
Amid all the backlash and trolling, a Twitter space with journalist Kemi Olunloyo seemed like the right place for Chef D to share her point of view. She cleared the air on her strong connection to her church, organising another 150-hour cook-a-thon, among other things. I attended it so you don’t have to.
Source: Instagram (@dammypas)
Chef D, where are you?
The Twitter space was slated for 8 p.m. on Sunday night (June 18, 2023) but 30 minutes in, Chef D was nowhere to be found. It was strongly giving “I’m not ready for this life”. When she finally came on, she blamed her lateness on Ekiti network.
Chef D’s team comprises the entire Spirit World Global Mission (SWGM)
The speculations about members of Damilola’s team are true. According to the chef, the entire 20-something members of SWGM make up her team.
The church is Chef D’s major sponsor
If you’ve been wondering why Chef D’s cook-a-thon is heavily tied to her church, well, there’s your answer. The church funded her first cook-a-thon.
Chef D made a GWR application a day before the cook-a-thon commenced
An application was made, but here’s the thing, it was a day to the cook-a-thon, and GWR stated that it would take another twelve weeks to get feedback. However, Chef Dami and her team couldn’t wait, considering all the preparation and online promotion.
Chef D said GWR was never part of the plan from the get-go. She was inspired by Baci and only wanted to show that she could cook for 120 hours.
She was never in competition with Hilda
“Competing with Hilda Baci is like a poor person competing with a rich person. I’m just a young girl from a local village and no notable background,” Chef D’s answer to a question about what inspired her cook-a-thon.
Trust Kemi to give some pep talk and help Dami understand why she mustn’t view herself from the lens of “less privileged”.
Is Chef Dami doing another cook-a-thon? Yup
It’s still at the proposal stage, and an application hasn’t been submitted, but you better believe that Chef D is coming back. Here’s what Kemi had to say:
“Maybe you shouldn’t announce it if you haven’t submitted an application to GWR. Why would you announce it? What if somebody wants to do more than that? Have you heard of the girl in Kenya that wants to do 400 hours?”
Chef D is open to actually learning the ropes of being a chef
The cook-a-thon might have earned her a title as a chef, but Chef D has no prior culinary knowledge. She’s, however, open to getting schooled and actually earning the title.
Ogi and akara for dinner
If you don’t rate this Nigerian meal, shame on you. Kemi asked Chef D what she’d prepare for dinner if she had five minutes, and her response: “a simple pap and akara”. Apparently, that’s where the magic is at.
Funds secured
There might’ve been a few audio pledges, but Chef D actually got a whopping ₦1m donation from a fellow Ekiti man based in the UK. She also got an additional ₦50k from Kemi.
Revamp your team
Apparently, Chef D and her team have no knowledge of the over 32 fake social media pages impersonating her and saying nasty things about Hilda Baci. She’s also not running a cooking class, even though a Facebook page says otherwise and is already charging unsuspecting people. Wahala.
Kemi came with more advice for Chef D to ditch the church and get an actual team — a manager, publicist and social media handler.
Kemi hosted a free Twitter Space for Chef D
The space eventually ended minutes to 9 p.m., with Chef D thanking Kemi for offering her platform for free. Apparently, she charges $500 for Twitter spaces.
Most people couldn’t ask questions due to the limited time, but if there’s one gist we got from the whole thing, it’s that an application for a 150-hour cook-a-thon hasn’t been submitted and Chef D actually wants to get proper training. Will meals in the next cook-a-thon be prepared or at least presented better? Will she postpone until she gets proper training? Fingers crossed.
Thanks to Hilda Baci’s successful attempt, a handful of young Nigerians have been inspired to break their own Guinness World Records, the most controversial being a young lady from Ekiti, Chef Dammy.
While inspiration is a beautiful thing, following due process is even more fire. The GWR has strict rules and guidelines that anyone hoping to make their attempts count must follow to the T.
How can I apply for a Guinness World Record in Nigeria?
Source: Guinness Word Records
Get on the official GWR website and create an account. You’ll receive an activation link which will lead you to your dashboard, where you can track the progress of your application. Now that you have an account, follow the steps outlined below:
Choose a record
Source: WikiHow
More than five people have attempted their own cook-a-thon since Hilda’s attempt, which brings us to the conclusion that people are not doing their research. While you can attempt a cook-a-thon, there’s an endless list of GWRs waiting to be broken. After selecting your preferred record, submit your application. You can even “apply for a new record title” by clicking that option.
Read the GWR guidelines
Source: Guinness World Records
Before diving headfirst, get familiar with the guidelines set by GWR. It should be your holy book for the months leading up to your attempt. Hilda mistakenly made a miscalculation about the time allotted for rest and this reduced her time by a whopping seven hours. God, abeg.
After submitting your application, look out for the record guidelines GWR will send to your account, outlining the evidence you need to submit to back your record title attempt.
PS: You must make your online application and receive specific guidelines from GWR before sending evidence of your attempt.
Gather evidence and witnesses
Your record-breaking attempt doesn’t have to be a grand affair, depending on your preference, budget and the type of attempt. What’s important is gathering solid evidence to back your submission. Document your journey with videos, photos and testimonies from credible witnesses. Make sure every moment — from preparation to the final attempt — is captured.
Submit your evidence
Once you’ve completed your attempt and gathered all the necessary evidence, it’s time to submit everything on the GWR website. You’ll do this via the account you created when you applied. Proceed to provide detailed information about your record attempt, including the category, description, evidence and witnesses.
Await verification
It took 30 days for the GWR to officially recognise Hilda for successfully breaking a world record. You should hear from the team between two weeks to a month.
Is there a Guinness World Record application fee?
At the moment, there’s no fee attached if you want to apply for a Guinness World Record. It’s completely free to do so. However, a non-refundable fee of £5/$5 (plus VAT) applies if you’re applying for a record that’s never been attempted or isn’t on the GWR database.
What happens if my record attempt is successful?
Source: Punch
You’ll receive an official GWR certificate once the submitted evidence has been reviewed and your attempt deemed successful. It goes straight to the official database, and you might also be featured in the yearly publication or other media platforms.
PS: Currently, Guinness World Record doesn’t award cash gifts or prizes to its record-breakers.
Zikoko walks into the party, ready to let loose and celebrate our record breaker Hilda Baci, when they spot someone in the corner, looking like he’s going through it.
So naturally, Zikoko had to find out who they were.
Zikoko: Hello. Are you okay?
Unknown person: [Takes a deep breath] Who are you now?
Zikoko: Sorry?
Unknown person: Look, I can’t do anything for you until a year’s passed. So come back in a year, and I’ll listen to you.
You know what? Just send an email. It’ll be faster.
Zikoko: Okay, now I’m confused. Who are you?
Unknown person: You’re joking, right?
Zikoko: [Shakes head]
Unknown person: You don’t know who I am?
Zikoko: [Shakes head]
Unknown person: And you’re not from Ekiti?
Zikoko: Do you have a problem with people from Ekiti?
Unknown person: [rips sunglasses off] Look at my eyes. I’ve seen things . How do you people say it again? I’ve seen shege in Ekiti people’s hands.
Zikoko: Ah.
[Zikoko belly laughs]
I know you.
Unknown person: What’s funny?
Zikoko: You’re Guinness…
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: Shhh!! Do you want them to find me? Nigerians are after me. They won’t let me rest. I haven’t slept well since the first one. [sobs heavily]
Zikoko: The first what? Are you talking about the cook-a-thon?
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: [Sobs harder]
Zikoko: [Pats his shoulders] There there.
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: I just want to rest. Every day. someone’s trying a new [gags]
Zikoko: A new what?
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: I can’t say the word
Zikoko: C…
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: NO!
Zikoko: A-thon?
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: [Nods] Everybody and their daddy’s trying a new one every day and think I should know about it.
Zikoko: Isn’t that your job, though?
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: No. No, it isn’t. My job is to sort through legit messages from serious people, but now I can’t even do that anymore.
Zikoko: I get you. But Nigerians are achievers. It’s not our fault.
[Guinness World Record’s Inbox freezes]
Zikoko: G… [whispers] Guinness? Inbox?
[Guinness World Record’s Inbox opens his eyes]
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: Sorry. A Nigerian’s mail made it through. Had to move it to spam.
Zikoko: Ah!
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: Don’t judge me. I’ve seen enough to know what’s good for me now.
Zikoko: It’s not that bad.
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: Someone said they want to do a pray- [gags]
Zikoko: A-thon?
[Guinness World Record’s Inbox nods]
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: For 5,000 hours. Another said they’re doing an ACA-[gags]
Zikoko: [Sighs] a-thon
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: Yes. What does that even mean?
Zikoko: Some people are just joking. You know, faffing about.
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: That’s what we thought until someone said they were cooking for 120 hours, and everyone on the internet started hounding us to consider her. Why are we in it?
[Guinness World Record’s Inbox freezes]
Zikoko: Inbox?
[Guinness World Record’s Inbox opens his eyes]
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: Apparently, we have a new Ekiti branch.
Zikoko: Oh yeah, I saw that.
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: And you didn’t think to warn me?
[Guinness World Record’s Inbox moves through the crowd]
Zikoko: Where are you going?!
Guinness World Record’s Inbox: To do my job! Please, tell Ekiti people to let me REST. At least until next year!
It’s been exactly 30 days since Hilda Baci turned off the gas after attempting to break the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest cooking marathon by an individual. On Thursday, May 11, 2023, the ambitious 27-year-old set out to break the record held by Chef Lata Tondon at 87 hours, 45 minutes and 00 seconds, to set her own for 96 hours. And on Monday, May 15, 2023, she completed 100 hours of continuous cooking.
Now, after weeks of waiting and pining, GWR officially awarded her the title, but there are a few takeaways from the announcement.
After reviewing all the footage, we're delighted to announce that Hilda Baci is the new record holder for the longest cooking marathon (individual) 💫
Watch the video to find out the official time we've awarded Hilda and read the full explanation below 👇 pic.twitter.com/bf352ndxWO
Hilda Baci’s initial plan was to shatter the record at 96 hours, but she took on an additional four hours, rounding it up to a total of 100 hours. However, because of some “miscalculations” in taking breaks, GWR said they’ll only accept 93 hours.
There must be at least two meals prepared at every given time
Many people assumed it was all to speed up the process, but according to GWR, it’s a must to have two items prepared concurrently. Safe to say Baci kept to this rule, but future applicants should take note.
Number, name and weight of each meal must be submitted
It’s not just a cooking jamboree. It’s important to take stock of the output from the cook-a-thon kitchen, and this includes the name, weight and number of meals. This should all be submitted along with video evidence.
Participants are only entitled to a five minutes break per hour
Hilda took extra minutes during her rest breaks, and this is against GWR’s rules. Participants must take their five minutes break at the end of every hour. This miscalculation reduced her time by seven hours.
Participants can take accumulated minutes of rest
According to GWR, the five minutes breaks can also be accumulated so that participants can get longer periods of rest.
Hilda Baci donated meals to charity
Although fans and supporters who stormed Amore Gardens during the cook-a-thon were treated to free meals, it didn’t stop there. The food Baci cooked was also donated to the Festus Fajemilo Foundation.
All items must be consumed
Baci might’ve donated to charity and invited supporters to enjoy her meal out of love, but it is also a strict rule for the GWR cooking marathon. Every meal prepared by the participant must be consumed.
Hilda Baci just broke the world record for the longest cooking marathon.
But there are some other things that Nigerians are so good at, that they need no motivation to break records in them.
Hailing you like their life depends on it
Nigerians have perfected the art of hailing. You could be struggling to buy bread and beans so you don’t die, someone will still see you and still say, “My Oga, after you na you”.
Arguing in traffic
One minute you’re driving quietly, and the next two people are shouting “Do you know who I am” on the road.
Fighting other countries online
The sky might be falling, but immediately a Ghanaian says our Jollof is shit, the whole federation comes together to fight for our honour.
Giving unsolicited advice
The average Nigerian will advise anyone and everyone. The annoying thing is that the advice is almost always unnecessary.
Sleep
A Nigerian will never pass up an opportunity to rest. The only reason you’re not sleeping right now is because you love Zikoko articles.
Insults that make you reconsider your self-worth
This dude called me “bombastic element” in Primary two and I felt it in my bones. It’s the Nigerian way.
Partying
Owambe wayyy! From throwing a party to celebrate a milestone to throwing another party to celebrate the success of the last party, we are definitely the kings and queens of enjoyment.
Speaking of partying, the hottest babes will be at HERtitude on May 27th. Click here to buy your tickets!
The name on everyone’s lips over the last four days is Hilda Baci. The 27-year-old self-taught chef from Akwa-Ibom has now eclipsed the Guinness World Record (GWR) of 87 hours for the longest cooking marathon by an individual. Although the GWR says it still needs to review the evidence, they wished her luck in her quest on Instagram. Hilda’s not stopping, regardless. Her eyes are set on the 96-hour mark.
Nigerians worldwide have shown Hilda immense support in their numbers, pushing her to the finish line in a physically and mentally exhausting feat. In his usual “Mr Predictable” manner, the Lagos state governor also showed up, even as some people suggest it’s PR.
Peter Obi and Bola Ahmed Tinubu also gave their shoutouts. Instead of them famzing, we came up with some suggestions for world records they can also break and set. Here are a few below:
Most liked tweet by a politician
On August 12, 2017, a white supremacist carried out a terrorist attack in Charlottesville, USA. This led to one death and 35 injuries. In response to this tragedy, former American President, Barack Obama, took to Twitter to quote the words of former South African President Nelson Mandela from his autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom”. The tweet has received 3.9 million likes.
The first requirement for becoming president in Nigeria is to have bullion vans filled with money.
[Bullion vans in Bourdillion / ICIR]
But just how much would you need in your war chest to set the record for the most expensive election ever? The 2020 American presidential election holds the record for being the most expensive in history. Open Secrets said the election cost a staggering $14.4 billion, more than double the 2016 election. That’s about 40% of Nigeria’s gross external reserves. Nigerian politicians reading this should better not get funny ideas. Moving on.
Longest legislative speech
Patrick Obahiagbon has already made a name for himself in the Nigerian National Assembly for his crinkum-crankum speeches that can turn you insane. Yet, he’s still a learner.
According to the Guinness World Records, the record for the longest legislative speech belongs to Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a Zulu leader from South Africa. He addressed the KwaZulu legislative assembly between March 12 and 29, 1993. He spoke on 11 of the 18 days, averaging nearly 2½ hours on each of the 11 days.
However, Stewart Stevenson, a Scottish politician, may hold the record for the longest parliamentary speech at one stretch. In 2004, Stevenson delivered a speech lasting 23 hours and 51 minutes during International Suicide Prevention Week. He started at 5:21 PM on Wednesday, September 7, 2004, and completed it at 5:12 PM on Thursday, September 8, 2004. Even Obahiagbon would be impressed.
Countries with the most female heads of government
Nigeria has a notorious imbalance when it comes to female participation in politics. Only one woman out of 18 candidates contested the last presidential election. The numbers keep dropping alarmingly. The national average is 6.7%, which is very low compared to the 23.4% African average and the 22.5% global average.
Meanwhile, a few other progressive countries are leading women’s political participation. According to the GWR, excluding acting prime ministers, the countries with the most female heads of government are Finland, Moldova, New Zealand, Poland, and the UK, all with three. Nigeria is still yet to get one. God when?
Poorest president ever
No Nigerian politician ever wants to be on this table, but there’s a case to be made for having a frugal president for a country whose resources have been run to the ground by wicked leaders. Take a cue from Jose Mujica, the former president of Uruguay, whom the BBC has described as the “world’s poorest president.”
His story is fascinating. As president, he refused to live in the luxurious government residence and chose to live in his wife’s farmhouse. Only two police officers and a three-legged dog were watching over his house. He also donated 90% of his $12,000 monthly salary to charity—a very “unNigerian” thing to do.
[Jose Mujica / Getty Images]
No one realistically expects President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu to toe this path, but the least we can expect is that he declares his assets. Since he recently said he’d like to emulate former president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, a public declaration of his assets would be a great place to start.
Africans have been gaining world recognition for quite some time now, and Nigerian comedian, Gandoki, wants to join the league.
He wants to set a 48-hour record for the ‘Longest Stand-Up Comedy Performance By an Individual’. The show will hold from Thursday, 29th September, to Saturday, Oct 1st, at the Exclusive Mansions Hotel, Lagos.
Warri born Gandoki, whose real name is Tony Mofe Ereku, started out with top acts like Ali Baba and Ay, and unoficially holds the record for longest performing comedian in Nigeria.
David Scott, an American, currently holds the Guinness World Record in this category, with his 40 hours, 8 minutes performance back in 2013. But not for long sha.
If you will be attending the show, please sha keep laughing. Even if it becomes boring, plaster a smile over your face; do it for Nigeria!
At 10 pm on June 22, one of Nigeria’s top DJs, DJ Obi, started his challenge at Sao Cafe in a bid to break the Guinness World Record for Longest DJ Set.
Known for his versatile style, DJ Obi has performed on the same stage with artistes like Lupe Fiasco, 2Face, MI and Banky W.
Although the current record which was set in 2014, holds at 200 hours, DJ Obi wants to break this record with a 240-hour set.
Already 6 days into the challenge, DJ Obi is however only allowed a 20-minute break every 4 hours or an hour break after 12 hours.
DJing for so long isn’t an easy task and he has even suffered from swollen feet and fatigue within the past 6 days.
Several Nigerian celebs including Olamide, Lil Kesh, Wizkid, Omawumi, MI and Phyno have gone to show him support at Sao Cafe.
Some secondary school students also went to take pictures with him and wish him goodluck.
You can watch the video of his first 24 hours here.
All the best to DJ Obi. We hope he breaks this world record.
DJ Obi is currently welcoming supporters at Sao Cafe, Lekki. To keep up with his daily experiences during the challenge, check out his Instagram page and Youtube channel.
