By Fati ABU Sodiq

ALKALI Jonah Musa has in a remarkable feat of resilience set the Guinness World Record by stacking a 3.5-meter food package in Talasse, Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State.

Alkali, from Shongom Local Government Area in Gombe South Senatorial District, took the challenge to Model Primary School, Talasse, Balanga Local Government Area, after a failed attempt on January 26, 2024.

In his second attempt lasting 1:47 minutes, he set the new record, surpassing the previous 3.37-meter record achieved by Heinz Africa and Middle East FTZ and Majid Al Futtaim in Dubai, UAE.

Alkali’s first attempt on Friday, February 23, around 9:30 am local time, faced a setback when the food packages, stacked up to about 4 meters high, came crashing down.

Undeterred, he re-strategized, starting anew from the base and successfully reached the 3.5-meter record.

Alkali, filled with emotions, told journalists that when the tower became wobbly, he experienced a lot of mental stress. However, he felt supported by those who came to witness the historic moment and realized that some youths looked up to him for motivation, which pushed him to try harder.

He said; “I knew that many people were counting on me, and I was determined to make it happen. Despite my efforts, it didn’t work out. I persevered because I wanted this day to be a success, but it kept failing. It was heartbreaking, knowing that many people look up to me as a role model. I told myself that if I couldn’t achieve this level of success, how could I motivate them? I felt disheartened, but I’m happy. Not because the record was broken, but because everyone could witness the power of resilience.”

He said he was now happy that despite the failed attempt on January 26 and the second failure during the first attempt on Friday, February 23, 2024, the success had proven that everything was possible with perseverance.

After the record was achieved, the challenger then distributed the cooked rice and beans with vegetables and other nutrients to the students of the Model Primary School, Talasse.

Alkali, a 31-year-old graduate of Fisheries Technology from the University of Maiduguri, said “I took up the challenge specifically on nutrition to promote nutrition and food security in Northern Nigeria and send a message to the world to strategize support to curb food and nutrition insecurity.”

Recalled that during his first attempt, in January, Alkali said he was motivated to embark on the venture because of his experience in Maiduguri, Borno State, North East Nigeria, where the insurgency left thousands of displaced children homeless and hungry at the Internally Displaced Persons’ Camp.

His motivation stemmed from the Save the Children organisation’s estimate of about 7.7 million malnourished children in the North East alone. He believed that his action could enhance the campaign on nutrition and food security in the zone.

“If we don’t have such kind of a move, then we might not fight hunger. But I am happy that the world can understand that there is a need for nutrition security today. We raise awareness and our logo is“Say no to hunger” simply because we understand what hunger has done to a lot of people, even to us. So, we want to see beyond just expecting government, beyond expecting other organizations, but what we can do on our own,” Alkali said.

He said he did not embark on the Guinness World Record challenge for self-glory alone, but that he had a non-profit organization since 2016, working with organisations and governments, like the US, to fight hunger and malnutrition.

He said the organisation has empowered over 500 youths, women and persons living with a disability.

Alkali commended the Senator Representing Gombe South Senatorial District, Senator Anthony Siyako Yaro, for setting a pace, which would last for a long time because he had supported him greatly during the organisation of the Guinness World Record Challenge.

He was also supported by the Gombe State Universal Basic Education, represented by the Director of Schools Service, Mr. Mohammed Abdullahi, whose joy could not be suppressed, as he described the tension that went through the minds of the people in the venue, but like all them, he stayed to see to the success.

Mr. Abdullahi said he felt happier about the success, because he took the campaign to a basic, which could easily motivate the young minds to emulate him and most especially eat the food stockpiled, thereby fighting hunger.

The Representative of Senator Yaro, his Senior Legislative Aide, Mr. Eli Akeme, who equally stayed through the long hours to the success, commended Alkali for the show of courage after the initial failure, but developed courage which led to his success.

He said their presence at the venue of the Guinness World Record Challenge was to see the fruit of the continued enablement of Senator Yaro to the youths in the senatorial district.

Alkali’s elder sister, who was visibly tensed during the entire process, could not withhold her joy, as she thanked God for her younger brother, who stood his ground and saw the realisation of the success he dreamt of