Abubakar Tahiru, an Auburn University forestry student from Ghana, set a record for hugging the most trees in one hour. Tahiru achieved a record by embracing 1,123 trees in one hour in Auburn, USA, in March of this year.
The world record holder was motivated by his enthusiasm for the environment and wanted to highlight the significance of global sustainability activities.
“I have always been finding a way not just about the research that I am doing but also having an innovative way to speak out or tell people about sustainability and its obvious that climate change is very critical,” he said in an interview with Ghana’s 3News.
“Climate change is not agenda of one person but global effort and I decided to do this to call global attention on sustainability and for us to collective come out to mitigate climate change,” he told the audience.
According to Guinness World Records, the individual’s goal is to highlight the importance of sustainability and motivate worldwide community action.
Tahiru shared his victory on social media with the phrase, “It is official!!!” Guinness World Record Holder for the Most Trees Hugged in One Hour.
Congratulations from well-wishers filled his comment area. One commentator wrote, “Finally a Ghanaian has been confirmed,” in reference to Ghanaians’ recent fruitless attempts to break world records.
Tahiru earned an undergraduate degree in Natural Resources (Forestry) from the University for Development Studies in Tamale, Ghana’s Northern Region.
Faith Patricia Ariokot, a Ugandan, also holds the Guinness World Record for the longest duration hugging a tree, which she set in Kampala, Uganda in January.
The 29-year-old environmental activist, who enjoys planting trees, aimed to beat the record and raise awareness for the cause. She aims to encourage people to enjoy planting trees as much as she does.