…Says accomplishment ‘ll inspire youths

By Egufe Yafugborhi & Chioma Onuegbu

THE founder of Uyo Book club, Dr Udeme Nana has expressed excitement that a Nigerian of Akwa Ibom state origin, John Obot was able to break the Guinness World Record of longest reading Marathon after reading aloud for 145 hours on Tuesday.

Nana who was also the chief programme Director for the just concluded Reading Marathon spoke during a media interaction yesterday at Watbridge Hotels & Suites, the Venue of the event.

He described Obot as a very brilliant young teacher, stressing that his accomplishment would serve as a aspring in the steps of anybody who wants to achieve an objective no matter how daunting.

His words: “John Obot has become a reference point for courage. He  stretched himself physically, mentally; he stretched all aspects of human dimensions to be able to accomplish a task he set for himself.

 “It shows the power of vision. It shows the immense power of determination. And it a reflection of ‘I can do spirit’, of a typical Akwa Ibom person and a Nigerian at large. Hilda Bassey did it, and here we are Johh Obot has done it.

” I am very excited that our boy was able to achieve that feat. And I know that what he has accomplished will inspire other members of the club; other youths. It will serve as a spring in the steps of anybody who wants to achieve an objective no matter how daunting that objective is.

“Members of the Uyo Book club are very proud of him. The  Book club was the pedestal on which John Obot stood to read aloud for the world in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record in that category of reading aloud”

Adding, the programme director disclosed that they recorded more than five million viewers who hooked onto the various online platforms to watch Obot read aloud in the 10 days adventure.

While appreciating the operator of Watbridge Hotels  & Suites, Senator Ekong Sampson for the venue, Dr Nana noted, “within the  premises, we had three viewing centres. In Citiview Hall where John Obot read, we had visitors trooping in day and night.

“And it is on record that we had 23, 000 visitors who came physically to watch him read aloud. And that brings me to declare that the reading Marathon is an aspect of intellectual tourism. States can be run tapping resources from intellectual tourism”