Nsikak Akpan, the Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Foreign Links Campus, Moro, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has broken the record for the longest marathon lecture delivered in the world.
On Sunday morning, he exceeded the previous record of 139 hours, 52 minutes, and 42 seconds, held by Indian professor Arvind Mishra, by reaching 142 hours.
Despite this achievement, he expressed his determination to continue until he surpasses the 150-hour mark. During his lectures, Akpan emphasised the importance of governments at all levels enforcing existing laws to protect the environment and public health.
He said, “Smoking in public is injurious to both the smoker and those around them. The people around the smoker are called secondary smokers, and the smoke has a negative effect on their health as well.
“Since we have laws prohibiting smoking in public places, I want to call on the government to ensure the enforcement of these laws to protect our environment and, most importantly, the health of residents.”
Also, the academic recommended that the Osun State government cease the practice of concreting road medians, stating that it represents a shift from “green to black.”
“The grasses and plants along the median help absorb carbon monoxide and heavy metals such as zinc and lead, which are released by heavy machinery. The absence of these trees and plants means these harmful elements will be released into the atmosphere, increasing the risk of spreading diseases.
“The Osun State government should stop this process as it goes against international standards,” he said.
Akpan started his attempt to set the Guinness World Record on Monday, September 23, 2024. He discussed various subjects related to ecology and environmental science in the process.