Abubakar Tahiru who is 29 and from Ghana has finally made it into Guinness word records after setting a new world record for hugging the most trees in an hour.
Ever since Ghanaians were exposed to the concept of making a Guinness record, there have been several attempts by many individuals but none has officially recognized yet by Guinness World Records but Tahiru’s own has been officially recognised.
Abubakar Tahiru, who is an activist and holds a degree in forestry moved to Alabama, USA to attain a master’s degree at the Auburn university.
According to Guinness World Records, Tahiru hugged 1,123 trees, averaging 19 per minute and his record took place at Tuskegee National Forest, one of four national forests in the timber-rich state of Alabama.
Guinness World Record defines a tree hug as; “ Both arms wrapped around a tree in a close embrace. No tree may be hugged more than once, and no damage can be caused to any tree, or else the attempt is disqualified.
Speaking to Guinness World Records, he disclosed that the hardest part of the record attempt was having to move quickly between trees while ensuring that each hug met the required standards. He also found the repetitive hugging motion to be quite tiring.
What made his record attempt even harder was the fact that he was fasting for Ramadan thus could not consume any water.
“Not being able to drink water throughout the attempt posed a significant challenge, especially given the physical exertion required,” Abubakar said.
“However, this also proved to be helpful in a way, as there was no need to pause for water breaks, allowing me to continue the attempt uninterrupted from start to finish.”
Averaging one hug every three seconds, Abubakar easily surpassed the minimum requirement of 700 to become the first holder of this record.
“Achieving this world record feels incredibly rewarding,” he said.
“It’s a meaningful gesture to highlight the crucial role of trees in our ecosystem and the urgency of environmental conservation.”
After setting this world record, Abubakar now plans to deepen his involvement in forestry by working on the development of sustainable practices and by collaborating with environmental organizations to promote sustainable projects.