A Nigerian man Tembu Ebere has said he went ‘partially blind’ for 45 minutes during his attempt to cry for seven days to break the Guinness World Record (GWR) ‘cry-a-thon.’
Ebere told the BBC that the attempt left him battling headaches, puffy eyes, and a swollen face.
He promoted his efforts on TikTok, under the username @237_towncryer, telling followers: “Send me your problems I will be crying for you.”
He sat wailing and grasping his head next to a live timer, which read two hours and seven minutes.
Ebere’s video has gained 5.3 million views from confused TikTokers across the globe, with some even cheering him on and others making fun of him.
“I had to re-strategise and reduce my wailing,” he told the BBC.
Ebere did not officially apply to Guinness World Records, BBC learnt, so his attempt won’t be recognised.
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This is despite his posting on social media that it was an official attempt.
Chef Hilda Baci sparked a record-breaking frenzy after she cooked continuously for four days.
Her success saw a surge of similar attempts, which saw people partake in kiss-a-thons, sing-a-thons, pray-a-thons and massage-a-thon.
A schoolteacher John Obot told the BBC he would be attempting to spend 140 hours reading classic literature aloud in September 2023.
He said he had chosen a record that is meaningful, adding: “The motivation is to promote reading culture in Nigeria.”
The GWR has advised hopeful record-breakers to take caution and liaise with the body, or risk being disqualified.
“Please, enough of the record-a-thons,” the organisation wrote on social media.
