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Meet Nigerian woman attempting 144-hour Bible reading Guinness world record

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Nigerian woman Habibat Salawudeen Ihiovi-Jack is attempting a Guinness World Record for the longest Holy Bible reading marathon, aiming for 144 hours.
  • The record attempt, named “144 Hours in the Word,” began on June 22 and is scheduled to conclude on July 2 in Port Harcourt.
  • This endurance challenge follows other recent Guinness World Record attempts by Nigerians, including Samson Ajao's record for longest marathon reading aloud.

Habibat Salawudeen Ihiovi-Jack, a Nigerian woman, is currently attempting to set a new Guinness World Record for the longest Holy Bible reading marathon. Her goal is to read continuously for 144 hours, a feat she is undertaking in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The record attempt, titled “144 Hours in the Word,” commenced on June 22 at the Novotel hotel in Port Harcourt and is expected to conclude on July 2, adhering to official Guinness World Records guidelines. As of Saturday, Habibat had surpassed the 100-hour mark, entering the final stages of this endurance challenge. Videos circulating online show her reading aloud from a lectern, with digital timers tracking her progress and supporters cheering her on.

The challenge is a faith-driven initiative aimed at promoting deeper engagement with the Bible.

— Habibat Salawudeen Ihiovi-JackExplaining the motivation behind her 144-hour Bible reading attempt.

Organizers stated that the attempt is being conducted under strict Guinness World Records regulations, which mandate continuous reading aloud with only limited breaks for essential needs. Habibat, a member of The Summit Bible Church in Port Harcourt, described the challenge as a faith-driven initiative aimed at fostering deeper engagement with the Bible. Her Senior Pastor, Dr. Andy Osakwe of Summit Bible Churches Worldwide, endorsed the attempt, viewing it as a spiritual project to exalt God's Word and inspire believers.

The challenge has garnered support from family, friends, and church members, and has also attracted attention on social media. This endeavor is part of a growing trend of endurance record attempts by Nigerians. Notably, Nigerian Samson Ajao was officially recognized by Guinness World Records in 2024 for setting the record for the world's longest marathon reading aloud, reading for 215 hours. Ajao's achievement added to Nigeria's growing list of record-breaking feats, following the popularity of events like Hilda Baci's cook-a-thon.

it was more than a bid for a world record but a spiritual project intended to exalt God’s Word and inspire believers.

— Dr Andy OsakweSenior Pastor of Summit Bible Churches Worldwide, endorsing Habibat Salawudeen's record attempt.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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