The Ghanaian world record-breaker is a forestry student at Auburn University in Alabama, United States.
Ghanaian environmental activist, Abubakar Tahiru, has set a new world record for the most trees hugged in one hour.
Tahiru, a 29-year-old forestry student, achieved the feat by hugging 1,123 trees, averaging 19 per minute.
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His record has been acknowledged in a publication by the Guinness World Records (GWR) on Friday, April 26, 2024.
The GWR defined the record as a hug with both arms wrapped around a tree in a close embrace, with no tree hugged more than once and no damage can be caused to any tree otherwise the attempt is disqualified.
Born in Ghana, Tahiru grew up in a farming community in Tepa, a municipality in the Ashanti Region, where he developed a keen interest in nature and its conservation.
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He completed his undergraduate degree specialising in forestry at one of Ghana’s top universities and subsequently moved to Alabama in 2023 to begin his master’s degree in forestry at Auburn University.
Thairu’s record attempt took place at Tuskegee National Forest, one of four national forests in the timber-rich state of Alabama, stated the GWR.
Tahiru talks challenges faced during world record attempt
On the challenges he faced during the record attempt, the Ghanaian highlighted having to manoeuvre quickly between trees while ensuring that each hug met the required standards.
He added that the repetitive hugging motion also made the attempt quite boring.
However, the hardest part for him was that he was fasting for Ramadan and thus could neither consume water nor eat anything.
“Not being able to drink water throughout the attempt posed a significant challenge, especially given the physical exertion required.
“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,” Tahiru said.
Tahiru becomes first holder of the record
The GWR record said the environmental activist, who averaged one hug every three seconds to surpass the minimum requirement of 700, has become the first holder of the record.
Meanwhile, Tahiru said he feels incredibly rewarding to have achieved the world record.
“It’s a meaningful gesture to highlight the crucial role of trees in our ecosystem and the urgency of environmental conservation,” he stated.
Going forward, Tahiru plans to deepen his involvement in forestry by working on the development of sustainable practices and by collaborating with environmental organisations to promote sustainable projects.
