Nigerian Woman Aims to Shatter Record with Non-Stop 6-Day Bible Recitation Bid

Habibat Salawudeen Ihiovi-Jack, a Nigerian woman, is striving to establish a new Guinness World Record for the longest Holy Bible reading marathon, with the goal of reading non-stop for 144 hours in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

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The record attempt, dubbed “144 Hours in the Word,” commenced on June 22 at Novotel, Port Harcourt, and is slated to conclude on July 2, adhering to official Guinness World Records guidelines.

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As of Saturday, Habibat had surpassed the 100-hour mark in the challenge, entering the final leg of the endurance test, with videos posted online showing her reading aloud from a lectern and at a desk.

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Digital timers were tracking her progress, while supporters cheered her on throughout the event, as she worked to achieve her goal under the watchful eyes of officials.

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According to the organisers, the attempt is being conducted in line with Guinness World Records regulations, which mandate continuous reading aloud, with only brief breaks allowed for essential needs.

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Habibat, a member of The Summit Bible Church in Port Harcourt, views the challenge as a faith-driven initiative aimed at fostering deeper engagement with the Bible, with her Senior Pastor, Dr Andy Osakwe of Summit Bible Churches Worldwide, endorsing the attempt.

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Dr Andy Osakwe described the attempt as more than a bid for a world record, but a spiritual project intended to exalt God’s Word and inspire believers, as Habibat draws support from family members, friends, and church members.

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The challenge has also garnered attention on social media, contributing to the growing trend of endurance record attempts by Nigerians, with Habibat’s attempt coming months after Nigerian Samson Ajao set the record for the world’s longest marathon reading aloud in 2024.

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Ajao, a 27-year-old from Ibadan, read continuously for 215 hours, nearly nine days, surpassing the previous record of 124 hours set by Kyrgyzstan’s Rysbai Isakov in 2022, and adding to Nigeria’s growing list of Guinness World Record attempts.

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Ajao’s achievement follows in the footsteps of other notable endurance challenges, such as Hilda Baci’s cook-a-thon and other marathon events, which have contributed to the popularity of record attempts in Nigeria.