At the age of 10, when most children were discovering playgrounds and cartoons, Abidemi Praise Omowarola discovered something more enduring: a pencil and a quiet refuge in art.
READ ALSO: How Abidemi Praise Sketched Her Way Into The Record Books
She began drawing not for fame or applause but for survival. The young girl used sketches as a form of emotional release after witnessing domestic violence in her home.
“I didn’t know it was called art therapy at the time,” she said in an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, explaining how she would retreat into a world of scribbles and broken lines to process the turmoil around her.
Years later, that coping mechanism transformed into a historic triumph. Abidemi recently set a Guinness World Record for the longest marathon drawing portraits, standing and sketching for an extraordinary 90 hours. During the endurance test, she completed 15 detailed portraits of figures ranging from Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to King Charles III, as well as religious leader David Oyedepo and football icon Cristiano Ronaldo.
Preparation for the feat was as demanding as the record itself. Abidemi trained physically, even visiting the gym at midnight to build the stamina required to remain standing and focused for nearly four days.
Her attempt was not merely about endurance. It marked a personal renaissance. After relocating to the United Kingdom and taking on jobs that distanced her from art, she saw the record attempt as her “launch back” into the creative world.
Today, the same mother who once encouraged her to pursue medicine or law now sits proudly beside her easel as her greatest supporter.
And for Abidemi, the record is already opening doors.
“I might not get money for it, but I am able to knock on doors, and the doors are opened because I am a Guinness World Record holder,” she said.
Her triumph is emblematic of a larger phenomenon sweeping across Nigeria: a generation of young dreamers rewriting the limits of possibility.
Chessboard Of Dreams
Few stories capture the power of determination like that of Tunde Onakoya, the chess champion and founder of the nonprofit Chess in Slums Africa.
Raised in modest circumstances by a mother who worked as a cleaner, Onakoya first learned chess in a barber’s shop before going on to study computer science at Yaba College of Technology. His journey has since transformed the lives of hundreds of disadvantaged children through scholarships and educational support.
In April 2025, Onakoya set the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon, playing for 64 consecutive hours in Times Square, New York, alongside chess master Shawn Martinez.
The marathon shattered the previous record of 61 hours held by two Norwegian players. But the Lagos-born chess advocate made it clear that his motivation extended beyond the thrill of breaking records.
“We’re not just doing this for ourselves—we’re doing it for a million dreams,” he said.
The record attempt doubled as a fundraising campaign to build the largest free preschool in Africa for homeless children.
“It is possible to do great things from a small place,” Onakoya wrote while celebrating the feat.
The Nigerian government hailed his accomplishment as a powerful symbol of national pride.
“I received Tunde Onakoya, founder of Chess in Slums Africa, at my residence today, where he also presented his World Record for the longest Chess Marathon. Tunde’s journey, from the streets of Lagos to uplifting underserved children and breaking world records, reflects the resilience and brilliance of Nigeria’s youth,” President Bola Tinubu said as he received him at the State House in June 2025.
Vice President Kashim Shettima described the achievement as a reflection of the “excellence and resilience that distinguishes Nigerians both locally and internationally.” Meanwhile, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State, said the record attempt was “a strong testimony to how greatness can come from anywhere.”
Canvas Without Limits
Nigeria’s surge in global recognition is not confined to endurance feats. It is also visible in the creativity of its youngest talents.
READ ALSO: Autistic Teen Sets Guinness World Record For Largest Canvas Painting
In 2025, 15-year-old Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest painting on canvas by an individual, unveiling a breathtaking artwork measuring 12,303 square metres in Abuja.
The teenage artist, who is autistic, titled the monumental work “Impossible is a Myth”. The painting—unveiled on World Autism Awareness Day—symbolises hope and possibility for people on the autism spectrum.
Nigeria’s Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, praised the feat, saying the young artist had demonstrated that “creative expression knows no barriers.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also celebrated the achievement in a message to the teenager.
“You are Brave, Audacious, and Tenacious,” the president wrote. “Congratulations on your recognition. Your story has made history, and Nigeria is proud of you.”
The record-breaking canvas, unveiled at Eagle Square, drew dignitaries, diplomats, and advocates for autism inclusion, underscoring the global resonance of the young artist’s achievement.
‘Cooking Up’ History
Another name synonymous with Nigeria’s Guinness World Record surge is Hilda Baci, the chef whose culinary endurance sparked a nationwide fascination with record-breaking attempts.
Baci first captured global attention in 2023 with a 93-hour cooking marathon, a feat that ignited what many now call Nigeria’s “GWR era.”
Two years later, she added another extraordinary milestone: preparing 8,780 kilograms of Nigerian-style jollof rice, earning recognition for the largest serving of jollof rice—and simultaneously the largest serving of rice overall.
“I was shocked and happy at the same time, completely caught off guard,” Baci said after learning the single attempt had earned her two record titles.
Reflecting on her culinary path, she once told Channels Television that cooking seemed woven into every phase of her career.
“Cooking still pretty much shines out the best, and I would say it’s what God wants me to do,” she said.
Nigeria’s Global Moment
From art studios to chessboards, kitchens to colossal canvases, Nigeria’s new generation of record-breakers is reshaping how the world sees the country.
These feats do more than secure plaques. They broadcast a narrative of creativity, resilience, and audacity.
READ ALSO: IN PICTURES: Hilda Baci Takes A Shot At New Guinness World Record
Each record tells a deeper story: of children who found healing in art, of young leaders transforming poverty into purpose, and of dreamers determined to place Nigeria firmly on the world stage.
In the process, these young Nigerians have proven something profound—that greatness often begins with a small spark of possibility.
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