A 200-level student of Department of Science and Technology Education, University of Ibadan, Bello Oluwapelumi, is attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the longest teaching marathon.
The current record is held by Arvind Mishra, who lectured for 139 hours and 42 minutes at Graphic Era University, India, in 2014 while teaching scientific computation.
Mr Bello, who currently serves as the Welfare Officer of the UI Students’ Union Directorate of Academic Coordination, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with UCJ UI after receiving approval for his Guinness World Records application.
Speaking on the motivation behind the attempt, he said his passion for teaching and the sciences inspired the challenge.
“My goal is to achieve it as one of my achievements regarding my passion for teaching. I picked education and physics as a course because of my love for teaching, so anything related to teaching has always been my priority and passion,” he said.
According to him, he has previously handled teaching sessions lasting between 10 and 12 hours at a stretch.
Explaining his preparation for the marathon, he said his consistent teaching routine during the last session had prepared him for the challenge.
“Throughout last session, I consistently taught for six, eight, 10, and even 12 hours without breaks. Sometimes students would even plead for a break during exam periods,” he said.
He added that the same pattern has continued this session.
“I have stood for eight or 10 hours, and even more, while teaching. Once I hold the marker, nothing stops me anymore. Even though I did not initially see those moments as preparation, they have become the foundation for this attempt,” he added.
Beyond physical preparation, Bello noted that he has also spent months planning logistics, funding, and materials needed for the event.
Speaking on the possibility of either success or failure, he expressed confidence in his chances while remaining open to any outcome.
“The success will mean a lot to me and will stand as a testimony to my passion for teaching. But if otherwise, we move. After all, in all failures, there exists a victory. Still, I do not think I can fail in this one,” he said.
According to the organizers, the teaching marathon is scheduled to be held from July 5 to July 12, a week before the university resumes for the second semester.
Bello said he hopes to extend the attempt to exactly seven days, targeting a total of 168 hours.
Although a venue has not yet been confirmed, organisers are working to secure the NFLT of the Faculty of Science for the event.
He also called for support and awareness from members of the student community, noting that public support would contribute significantly to the success of the attempt.
Credit: UCJUI
