A 27-year-old Nigerian, Samson Ajao, has set a new Guinness World Record for the longest marathon reading aloud, clocking in at 215 hours—nearly nine full days. Ajao, from Osogbo in Osun State, surpassed the previous record of 124 hours set by Rysbai Isakov of Kyrgyzstan in 2022.
During his record attempt, Ajao read around 100 books on various subjects, including finance, sales, management, leadership, politics, and health. His goal was to promote literacy and inspire a reading culture in Nigeria. Notable figures, including Osun State House of Assembly Speaker Ngozi Adeleke and Education Commissioner Dipo Eluwole, attended the event to support him.
According to Guinness World Records, Ajao was allowed a five-minute rest break for every hour of reading, which he used to eat, sleep, and take care of personal needs. Following his achievement, Ajao and his supporters celebrated with a parade through the streets.
