Akwa Ibom unity choir breaks Guinness world record

THE Akwa Ibom State choral group has broken
the world record for the largest number of
Christmas carol singers in the world. The
record, which has been officially certified by
the Guinness World Records and pasted on its
website, www.guinessworldrecords.com, was
broken by the unity choir, a 25,272 man-
choral group, in a concert in the Uyo Township
Stadium on Saturday, December 13, 2014 with
Guinness World Records representatives in
attendance. The record consigned to the
history books the former record of 15,674
carol singers, which was achieved the previous
year (December 15, 2013), by a group known
as CENTI in Bogota, Columbia.
The Akwa Ibom unity choir sang a medley of
The First Noel, Joy to the World, O Christmas
Tree, Hark the Herald the Angels Sing, Once in
Royal David’s City and O Come All Ye Faithful
in an electrifying rendition which lasted more
than twenty minutes.
Guinness World Records adjudicator, Liz
Smith, who did the announcement in Guinness
World Record Headquarters, London, United
Kingdom congratulated the choir and said “It
is now time to reveal the report of the official
attempt to break the Guinness World Record of
the largest group of carol singers. Our team of
highly trained record specialists have reached
a decision. The record to beat was 15,674. I
can now confirm that your attempt to break
the record has been successful.
Congratulations on receiving a new Guinness
World Records Title. The title of the largest
group of carol singers has been achieved by
Godswill Akpabio Unity Choir. You are
officially amazing.”
Breaking the news to Akwa Ibom people,
Governor Godswill Akpabio said “This month,
we broke the Guinness Book of World Records,
for the largest number of carol singers ever in
the world. This momentous feat was achieved
when Akwa Ibom people drawn from all the
nooks and crannies of the state came together
in the spirit of love and brotherhood. I believe
that if we imbibe the virtue of love and stand
together in brotherhood in the New Year, we
would keep setting records and the walls of
division, which have been erected by some
selfish politicians, would tumble down.”
In his comments the Permanent Secretary,
Protocol, Akwa Ibom State Government, and
organizer of the record-breaking choir, Mr
Aniekpeno Tom Mkpanang, described the
Guinness World Record as “another feather to
the cap of a record breaking governor who has
already garnered record breaking accolades
and honours for his great visionary leadership
from the academia, churches, traditional
institutions and the global community. Many
of these institutions are places you cannot
buy records from, which dispels the notion of
sceptics that most such awards are bought.
With this record from Guinness, earth and
heaven celebrate him.