The School of Eloquence has officially unveiled its Guinness World Records certificate, confirming its achievement of the world’s longest speech marathon by a team, following a special reception and recognition ceremony held at its headquarters in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The official certificate, issued by Guinness World Records in London, validates the institution’s record breaking feat of a 480-hour speech marathon, accomplished in Lagos between April 1 and 21, 2026.
According to Guinness World Records, the longest speech marathon by a team lasted 480 hours and was achieved by the School of Eloquence in Lagos, Nigeria, from April 1 to 21, 2026.
The record was set during the institution’s flagship initiative, 20 Days of Eloquence – Nigeria Speaks to the World, a 20-day communication marathon designed to showcase the power of disciplined public speaking while providing hundreds of speakers with the opportunity to contribute to a historic global achievement.
The unveiling ceremony also celebrated the contributions of participants, volunteers, coordinators, witnesses, supporters and partners, who were presented with Certificates of Historic Participation and Certificates of Historic Contribution in recognition of their roles in the successful attempt.
Speaking at the event, the Dean of the School of Eloquence, Ubong Essien, CSP, described the occasion as more than the celebration of a world record, saying it symbolises the power of vision, discipline, teamwork and excellence.
Essien said the certificate affirms what vision, discipline, teamwork and excellence can produce when people unite around a worthy purpose.
He clarified that the commemorative certificates presented during the ceremony were intended solely to recognise participation and contribution to the record breaking exercise, stressing that they should not be interpreted as professional certifications or evidence of speaking competence. According to him, professional excellence in communication is achieved through deliberate learning, disciplined practice and sustained development.
Essien also expressed appreciation to all individuals and organisations that supported the initiative, noting that the achievement was made possible through collective commitment and resilience. He said records are built through shared sacrifice, resilience and collective belief, thanking participants, volunteers, witnesses, supporters, partners and well wishers for helping the institution achieve the milestone.
The institution also announced that, following the official confirmation of the record, it is entering a new phase of growth aimed at expanding its educational programmes, institutional partnerships and leadership development initiatives.
The School recently unveiled a new institutional crest to reflect its evolution from a training organisation into a globally recognised institution focused on communication leadership.
Founded in 2006, the School of Eloquence has trained thousands of professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, public officials and emerging leaders across Nigeria and beyond in executive communication, public speaking, presentation mastery, leadership influence and strategic communication.
The institution is also home to West Africa’s only Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), the highest earned international designation in the professional speaking industry, held by its Dean, Ubong Essien.
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