By Enitan Abdultawab

Shehu Bamidele was officially presented with his Guinness World Record for the longest marathon playing 8-ball pool at a special ceremony in Lagos, on Friday 6th of February, 2026, marking a historic moment for Nigerian sports and entertainment.

The record, first set during Poolfest Naija 2025 on the September 7, 2025 , saw Bamidele play 8-ball pool for 112 hours straight, surpassing the previous world record of 111 hours. The award ceremony, held at the Hideout Centre, Lagos, celebrated not just Bamidele’s endurance and skill, but also Nigeria’s growing prominence in global recreational sports.

Speaking at the event, Bamidele reflected on the achievement: “This accomplishment is proof that Nigeria can command global attention through entertainment and recreation. I’m deeply grateful to the organizers, Globus Bank, and all the sponsors who made this possible. I say a big thank you to my family, friends, and loved ones from wherever you might have come to celebrate with me — Anambra, Benin, Lagos, Abeokuta, Ijebu. I could not do this without you all.”

His coach, Engineer John Ojay, praised Bamidele’s resilience: “It was an intriguing and exciting experience. Shehu was so resilient and ensured that the record was achieved. If not, there would not be any gathering here today. Along the line, he was mentally challenged and did not even know what he was doing because the stress was a lot. We had to manage it for him, and we thank God that he was able to scale through.”

Also present, Kingsley Uranta, General Manager of Channels TV, described the night as a celebration for the nation: “Like Bob Marley said, everyone has the right to decide his own destiny, and in his judgement, there’s no partiality. It is also coincidental that Shehu Bamidele has not only taken himself to greater heights, he has taken Nigeria to greater heights.”

The event highlighted the fusion of endurance, skill, and national pride, as attendees from across Nigeria and the continent joined to witness Bamidele’s historic recognition.