Ghanaian Sets New Guinness World Record For Longest Tree Hug, Sparks Mixed Reactions

Ghanaian Sets New Guinness World Record For Longest Tree Hug, Sparks Mixed Reactions

A 23-year-old journalist from Kumasi, Ghana, Abdul Hakim Awal, has set a new Guinness World Record for the longest time spent hugging a tree.

Abdul’s record-breaking “tree-hug-a-thon” took place outside the Kumasi Cultural Centre, where he hugged a tree for an impressive 24 hours and 21 minutes. This achievement surpasses the previous record of 16 hours, set by Ugandan environmental activist Faith Patricia Ariokot earlier this year.

Abdul undertook this challenge to raise awareness about the importance of nature conservation in Ghana. To further his commitment, he pledged to plant a new tree for every minute of his record attempt, resulting in a promise to plant a total of 1,461 trees.

According to Guinness World Records (GWR), Abdul was not allowed any breaks during his attempt. He had to remain standing with his arms wrapped around the tree for the entire duration of 24 hours. Due to the length of his effort, this record now falls under the category of a ‘marathon,’ and future challengers will be allowed breaks totaling up to two hours per day to prevent the harmful effects of sleep deprivation.

Interestingly, Abdul is not the first Ghanaian