Ile-Ife, Nov. 30, 2023 – Miss Enitan Subair, a student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), who completed a record-breaking wash-a-thon in early hours of Monday, is bubbling with excitements of the applause that have greeted her courageous task.
Subair, a 200-level student of Linguistics and African Languages at the first generation university, OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun State, set a new world record after she competed a 58-hour wash-a-thon by 12.05 AM on Monday, November 27, 2023; surpassing her initial target of 50 hours.
In the new video obviously recorded a day after her historic feat, Subair, in brilliant mood and flashing toothsome smile to her supporters, was seen at OAU premises in a formal casual of polo and jean trouser, looking healthy and excited, although she expressed worries about negative news that she was hospitalised.
Contrary to certain news reports in a segment of the media, the video showed Subair’s hands were normal and unaffected by the task of her record 58-hour handwashing.
“Good day people, first of all thank you to everybody who checked up, thank you to everybody who reached out” Subair, making her trademark sign and gesticulating with her hands with no sign of hurt or soreness, started about her state of health and mood, saying “I’m not sick, there was never a point I got hospitalised, there was no point I was admitted or rush to the hospital, there is nothing wrong with me, I have just been home expecting the will of God to happen, there is nothing wrong with me”.
She debunked the negative news from the misinterpretation of her procedural check-up at the clinic immediately after completing her task, expressing worries that such misinterpretation did not represent her state of affairs.
“I cannot even wait to start classes, and I’m going to start that immediately, I have not started classes because of the several interviews and all, not that may be i’m sick,” Subair said.
She said she decided to debunk the misinterpretation because it was feeding a negative perception in some quarters, while expressing appreciation to all her supporters.
‘I’m very fine, this video is just to debunk the news. Thank you so much to everybody,” Subair said.
Some news reports had misrepresented the procedural check-up that usually comes after such record-breaking feat and similar instances as being hospitalised.
Abbas Akinremi, the Student Union President of OAU , who was with Subair at the point of completing her record-breaking feat, said the authorities were the one that insisted that as a student ambassador of the first-generation university, Subair should follow the normal procedure of a medical check-up to ascertain she was fit and proper after her uphill task.
According to him, when Subair ended the wash-a-thon in the early hours of Monday, they insisted and took her to the university clinic.
“We took her to the university clinic, that’s the normal thing to do after such task, and we are known for standards, so we don’t compromise that in everything we do,” Akinremi said.
The management of the school led by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Professor Abayomi Daramola, had on Sunday, November 26, 2023, paid Subair a solidarity visit to further reassure her of the entire university community’s supports as she entered the final lap of her historic feat.
Photographs posted on the X handle of the wash-a-thon, OAUWashathon, @oau_washathon, posted on the evening of Monday, November 27, 2023, the day Subair completed her record-breaking feat, showed the heroic lady with toothy smile in a lone picture and in another group picture with her family members.
The X post, captioned ‘what success looks like. Enitan and family after wash-a-thon’ vividly depicted the pictures were taken probably in the afternoon of that day, with bright sunlight in the background of the residential compound where the pictures were taken.
X users were full of praises for Subair, hailing her heroism and courage to pull through. Rt Hon. Akinyode Oyewusi, @IreYode, deputy Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, wrote ‘I celebrate your determination, decision, and discipline to scale through this hurdle and make this a reality. Having completed this task and as we await the official response from the Guinness Book of Records, I want to charge you to channel your zeal into contributing your quota to the development of our society. Indeed, another Great IFE is a counterfeit! Once again, Congratulations, Enitan!’
Chisom Nwankwo, @somiii_v, showed a champaign saying ‘congratulations’; Richard, @Richard_ode22, said ‘more wins, congratulations’; Miracle, @okorie_mi, posted ‘Congratulations big time… I really commend your energy… E for energy’
While the Guinness World Record is yet to announce Subair as a new record breaker, most analysts in the know of the processes, said it was just a matter of time and processes as she had fulfilled all preconditions for such
Subair, who began the attempt on November 24, 2023 at the Sub Car Park inside the school campus, at the end said she was motivated by overwhelming supports to see herself through the task.
“I felt I should give up several times, especially when I was pressed, I was like can I go through this thing? That my mum and my friends are in this crowd, I feel very fulfilled to complete this task right in front of her,” Subair said.
When asked about her motivations and ability to complete the task at the outset, Subair had cited her intrinsic nature, life lessons, family and general supports and Grace of God.
“My background, the lessons life taught me have been motivating me to embark on this wash-a-thon. My experience is unexplainable, but it taught me to be selfless.
“I am confident that I will reach the set goal of 50 hours of hand wash and by God’s grace I will emerge victorious.
“Despite the massive support from my colleagues here, I pray for the grace of God to be able to complete the task. My parents are very supportive and I urge Nigerians to rally round me while I work towards completing the task,” Subair had said.
It was believed that OAU student notified the prestigious British reference book of her intentions in June this year. (GBN)
