Nigeria again was thrown into the international scene after Hilda Effiong Bassey popularly known as Hilda Baci, cooked her way to a world record. Hilda, 27, who hails from Akwa Ibom, and a graduate of Madonna University, attempted the record for the longest cooking marathon on 11 May, 2023, and eventually broke the record on May 15, 2023, after cooking for 100 hrs, beating the current holder, an Indian chef, Lata Tondon whose cooking marathon lasted for 87 hours, 45 minutes in 2019.
Hilda Bassey, who reportedly had up to 55 recipes and made more than 100 meals in 100 hours, became a social media personality and national sensation, with her name making news on major platforms around the world. These efforts have been recognized and commended by various personalities, including the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwoolu, and also the outgoing governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel.
However, this is not the first time a Nigerian would be setting the world record. In 2016, a Nigerian DJ broke the world record for the longest-ever DJ set. DJ Obi completed a 240-hour marathon on the decks at a Lagos cafe, smashing the previous record of 200 hours set in Dublin by a Polish DJ called Norbert Selmaj in November 2014. Obi’s set began on 22 June and continued until 11.30 pm on 2 July.
The record wasn’t ratified by the Guinness World Records team, but Obi followed the rules for the DJing record. According to the BBC, he was allowed a five-minute break every hour, had to have someone dancing at all times, and could not repeat a song within four hours of playing it.
Then in 2018, DJ Agboola Venmak (DJ Venum), a Nigerian Disc Jockey, broke the same Guinness World Record for the longest DJ’ing, playing music non-stop for 15 days in 2018. DJ Venum started DJ’ing at exactly 10:40 pm on August 1, 2018 and became the World’s Longest Playing DJ on August 15, 2018.
Nigeria got to the record breakers list again in 2021. Nigerian Disk Jockey (DJ) and singer, Soul Yin broke the world record for the longest DJ set ever by operating her set for 243 hours, 30 minutes, at The Grill by Yanna, Ikoyi, Lagos. Yin started her set on the 20th of September through the 1st of October 2021.
In record breaking, there is no age limitation for Nigeria, a country with immense talents. In 2020, ten-year-old Chinonso Eche from Warri in Delta State emerged as the youngest Nigerian to win a Guinness world record for most consecutive football touches in one minute while balancing another football on his head.
FIFA, the world football regulating body, while impressed by his feet, acknowledged and recognized the incredible skill of Chinonso.
Chinonso has the most consecutive football (soccer) touches, achieving that incredible feat within a minute.
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