The School of Eloquence, Lagos, Nigeria has been officially crowned as the new holder of the world’s longest speech marathon by Guinness World Records.

According to Lena Khulmann, the Senior Adjudicators at Guinness World Records, the Nigerian team recorded an extraordinary 480-hour performance that shattered the previous global benchmark.

Before the latest achievement, the existing world record for the longest speech marathon by a team stood at 127 hours, 31 minutes and 43 seconds. The record was previously held by in New Zealand after it was achieved in April 2018.

At the live telecast held at the Ikoyi office of School of Eloquence, on Tuesday, Guinness World Records declared that Nigeria achieved the feat following a deliberate and an incredible 20 days that showcased endurance, teamwork, consistency and exceptional coordination.

She said after a comprehensive verification process involving video footage, livestream archives, operational logs, witness reports and continuity checks, the School of Eloquence was officially confirmed to have completed a staggering 480 hours of continuous speech presentations.

According to Lena Khulmann, the feat stood out as one of the most ambitious and demanding record attempts ever reviewed.

“Over the past weeks, I have carefully reviewed one of the most ambitious and demanding record attempts I have seen an attempt that required not only endurance but extraordinary organization, consistency, teamwork and commitment across an incredible 20 days,” the adjudicator said while announcing the result.

The adjudicator praised, not only the speakers, but also those behind-the-scenes and the entire team whose coordination ensured the success of the marathon.

“What impressed me, especially throughout the review process was the consistency and seriousness with which the entire attempt was conducted, and the collective spirit that carried it from beginning to end,” the official stated.

Presenting the certificate to the team virtually, the adjudicator declared the institution “officially amazing” and applauded the determination and discipline displayed throughout the challenge.

“On behalf of Guinness World Records, it is my pleasure to present this certificate to the School of Eloquence. You are now official Guinness World Records holders,” the adjudicator amidst a loud cheers from Mr Ubong Essien, the Dean of the School, speakers and staff.

Ubong Essien, a Certified Speaking Professional and Dean School of Eloquence, in an interview said the significance of the school’s recognition for 480-Hour Public Speaking Marathon was a double joy to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the school.

He said the achievement has given a sense of pride and fulfillment not just for him but for the entire institution, highlighting Nigeria positively on a global stage.

He emphasised the commitment of the school on leaving a meaningful legacy and showcasing Nigeria’s capacity for effective communication and public speaking.

Speaking on the importance of Public Speaking, Essien asserts that public speaking is vital for societal progress, as ideas must be articulated effectively to have an impact, saying no public official should struggle with speaking publicly.

He acknowledged the challenges posed by erratic electricity and internet services, planning and backup solutions to maintain operations.

He said, “But we prepped all of our speakers to speak for a minimum of 20 minutes. The microphone was not meant to be silenced for more than 30 seconds.

And then you needed to have your audience. There must always be an audience around the clock 24-7. So that led into the logistics of the planning.

“As you all know, power is a challenge. And we needed to be sure that we had the means in terms of the electricity.

“We had a diesel generator. We had solar inverters making sure. In fact, there was a day where things fell apart on day 12 or day 13. At about 2 a.m. the generator stopped working or there was no power. We were running on inverter,” he added. (Daily Independent)