A Nigerian woman, Habibat Salawudeen Ihiovi-Jack, has completed a 144-hour marathon reading of the Holy Bible in a bid to set a new Guinness World Record.
The six-day exercise, tagged “144 Hours in the Word,” ended on Monday after she read the Scriptures continuously under Guinness World Records guidelines, which permit only short breaks for essential needs.
The challenge, which commenced on June 22 at the Novotel in Port Harcourt, was designed to encourage Christians to cultivate a deeper commitment to studying the Bible while celebrating the power of God’s Word.
Habibat, a member of Summit Bible Church, Port Harcourt, reportedly embarked on the ambitious project after years of preparation that began in June 2022, marked by discipline, consistency and unwavering devotion.
Throughout the marathon, she received support from family members, friends, church members and other well-wishers, with many following her progress both at the venue and online.
Videos shared on social media showed her reading from a lectern as digital timers tracked the hours completed.
Speaking on the initiative before its conclusion, the Senior Pastor of Summit Bible Churches Worldwide, Dr Andy Osakwe, described the exercise as more than an attempt to break a world record.
According to him, the project was primarily intended to honour God’s Word and inspire believers to strengthen their personal study of the Scriptures.
Habibat’s feat comes after Nigerian marathon reader Samson Ajao earned Guinness World Records recognition in 2024 for the longest marathon reading aloud.
The Ibadan-born reader set a new global record after reading continuously for 215 hours, surpassing the previous 124-hour record held by Kyrgyzstan’s Rysbai Isakov.
Although Habibat has completed the 144-hour reading challenge, the attempt remains subject to official verification by Guinness World Records before it can be formally recognised.