23 Nigerians who are Guinness World Record Holders

As Nigerians celebrate Hilda Bassey, the Nigerian Chef who has just broken the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking time, we decided to take a tour in history to remember and appreciate her compatriots who came before her.

The Akwa-Ibom born chef cooked for 100 hours, breaking the previous record of 87 hours & 45 minutes set by Indian chef, Lata Tondon in 2019.

Chef Hilda Effiong Bassey Set A New Guinness World Record For The Longest Ever Cooking Time

1. BOSE OMOLAYO: The heaviest para powerlift by a female in the 79 kg category is 144 kg (317 lb 7 oz), achieved by Bose Omolayo (Nigeria) at the World Para Powerlifting Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 2 December 2021.
2. PAUL KEHINDE: The heaviest para powerlift by a male in the 65 kg category is 221 kg (487 lb 3.5 oz), achieved by Paul Kehinde (Nigeria) at the 9th Fazza 2018 World Para Powerlifting World Cup in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 19 February 2018. Kehinde broke his own world record of 220.5 kg, set at the World Championship in December 2017.
3. STEPHEN KESHI: The youngest person to win the Africa Cup of Nations as a player and coach is Stephen Keshi (b. 31 January 1961, Nigeria) who was 52 years and 10 days old when he won the tournament as head coach of Nigeria at the FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa, on 10 February 2013. Keshi was captain of the national team when he won the tournament as a player in 1994, beating Zambia 2-1 in the final. As a manager Keshi lead his team to glory after a 1-0 win over Burkina Faso in the final.
4. CHINONSO ECHE: The most football (soccer ball) headers in a prone position in one minute is 233 and was achieved by Chinonso Eche (Nigeria), in Ikot Ekpene, Nigeria, on 13 October 2021. Eche also holds the record for the fastest time to 1000 football (soccer ball) touches while balancing a ball on the head in 7 min 46 sec in Ikot Ekpene, Nigeria, on 13 October 2021. He equally earned the record of the most consecutive football (soccer) touches in one minute while balancing a football on the head which is 111 in Warri, Nigeria, on 14 November 2019.
5. HARUNA ABDULAZEEZ: The most American football touches with the feet in one minute (male) is 75 and was achieved by Haruna Abdulazeez (Nigeria) in Kano, Nigeria, on 1 October 2020.
6. PETER AHO: Nigeria’s Peter Aho took six wickets for five runs in 3.4 overs against Sierra Leone in a match staged at the University of Lagos Cricket Oval in Nigeria on 24 October 2021. This included a hat-trick with the last ball of the second over and the first two balls of the fourth as the visitors subsided to 70 all out, chasing 91 for victory.
7. BAYO OMOBORIOWO: The largest photo book measures 60.84 m² (654 ft² 87 in²) achieved by TheJTAgency, Bayo Omoboriowo and Federal Republic of Nigeria, (all Nigeria) in Abuja, Nigeria, verified on 30 September 2021.The book is a recreation of the photo book titled Discover Nigeria.
8. MFON UDOH: Mfon Udoh scored 23 goals for Enyimba in the Nigerian Premier League in 2013–14, breaking the previous best of 20 set by Jude Aneke (Nigeria) in 2010–11. It was Udoh’s first season for Enyimba, having transferred from Akwa United FC.
9. DAVID OMUEYA DAFINONE: Three sons and two daughters of Senator David Omueya and Cynthia Esella Dafinone of Lagos, Nigeria, all qualified as members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales between 1986 and 1999. Their father had also become a member of the same institution in 1963. Igho Omueya Dafinone, Ede Omueya Dafinone and Duvie Omueya Dafinone are currently working within the firm of D O Dafinone Co. Chartered Accountants in Lagos. Daphne Omueya Dafinone and Joy Ufuoma Dafinone live in London.
10. MODENINE: The Headies (formerly the Hip Hop World Awards), were inaugurated by Hip Hop World Magazine in 2006 to honour outstanding achievement in Nigerian music. British-born rapper Modenine (aka Babatunde Olusegun Adewale, Nigeria) has, appropriately enough, won nine Headies: Best Rap Album (Malcolm IX – The Lost Sessions, 2006), Best Rap Single (“Cry”, 2007) and seven “Lyricist on the Roll” awards (2006–11 and 2013).
11. FELA KUTI: Fela Kuti recorded 46 albums as a solo artist over the course of a solo career spanning 23 years. The first solo album was recorded in 1969 and the last in 1992.
12. VINCENT OKEZIE: The most consecutive backwards handsprings with a football (soccer ball) between the legs is 10, achieved by Vincent Okezie (Nigeria), in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, on 11 March 2022.He also joined Chukwuebuka Ezugha, Victor Richard Kipo to achieve the most consecutive passes of a football (soccer ball) between the head and soles while balancing on the back of a person which is 129, in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, on 11 March 2022
13. BLESSING OKAGBARE: The most appearances in Diamond League meetings by an athlete is 67, achieved by Blessing Okagbare (Nigeria) in the 100 metres, 200 metres and long jump disciplines between 3 July 2010 and 31 August 2018.
14. LAURITTA ONYE: The farthest shot put by a female F40 athlete is 8.40 m, achieved by Lauritta Onye (Nigeria) at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 11 September 2016.
15. LUCY EJIKE: The heaviest powerlift for a -61 kg female athlete is 142 kg, achieved by Lucy Ejike (Nigeria) at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 11 September 2016.Her lift of 127.5 kg in the women’s -44 kg division has also stood since 20 September 2004, when she won gold at the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.
16. FOLASHADE OLUWAFEMIAYO: The heaviest powerlift by a female in the -86 kg category is 152.5 kg (336 lb 3 oz), achieved by Folashade Oluwafemiayo at the World Para Powerlifting Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 3 December 2021.She had to settle for a silver medal in the women’s -75 kg class at the Paralympic Games in London, UK, on 3 September 2012, but earlier that same day she completed a record lift of 148 kg.
17. TUEDON MORGAN: The fastest time to run a half marathon on each continent and the North Pole (female) is 62 days 12 hr 58 min 49 sec, and was achieved by Tuedon Morgan (Nigeria), from 8 February 2015 to 12 April 2015.
18. WIZKID: The first track to reach one billion streams on Spotify is “One Dance” by Drake (Canada) featuring musicians Wizkid and Kyla, as of 16 December 2016.
19. YAKUBU ADESOKAN: Nigeria’s Yakubu Adesokan lifted 180 kg in the men’s -48 kg powerlifting competition at the Paralympic Games in London, UK, on 30 August 2012.
20. JOY ONAOLAPO: Nigeria’s Joy Onaolapo won a gold medal at the Paralympic Games in London, UK, on 1 September 2012 when she produced a lift of 131 kg in the women’s -52 kg division.
21. ADEOYE AJIBOLA: Adeoye Ajibola ran the men’s 100 metres in 10.72 seconds at the Paralympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, on 6 September 1992. Ajibola competes in the T46 classification, for athletes with an impairment that affects their arms or legs, including amputees.
22. AYO MAKUN: AY’s debut movie in a leading role and producer, ‘30 days in Atlanta’ got recognized by Guiness Book of World Records in September 2016 for it’s high domestic gross earnings and at the time became the highest grossing Nollywood movie of all time. The movie also featured top Nollywood actors like Desmond Elliot, Majid Michel, and Ramsey Noah.
23. KAFFY: Kafayat Oluwatoyin Kafayat (born 30 June 1980), popularly known by her stage name Kaffy, is Nigerian dancer best known for breaking the Guiness World Record  for “Longest Dance Party” at the Nokia Silverbird Danceathon in 2006.