Nigerian dancer attempts 168-hour marathon in Lagos

For a week in September 2026, a stage at Freedom Park in Lagos never went quiet. Benjamin Daniel Gabriel, a Nigerian contemporary dancer who goes by Bendancer or Ben Dancer, aimed to keep moving nonstop for 168 hours in pursuit of a Guinness World Record title for the longest solo dance marathon.¹⁹

What happened

Gabriel's attempt ran at Freedom Park in Lagos, with reporting placing the dancing beginning on Tuesday 22 September and the target reached around 28-29 September, matching the scheduled window of 21 to 27 September announced beforehand. He was targeting a full 168 hours without stopping, surpassing by 41 hours the current mark of 127 hours that Indian dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap achieved back in 2023.³⁴⁹⁶

Reports credit Gabriel with about 18 years as a professional dancer and note he was the first man to take part in the Kuti family's performance lineage at the New Afrika Shrine, sharing the stage with Made Kuti and The Movement. He also founded Bendancer Academy International, a Lagos-based dance academy, and prepared for the marathon with intensive fitness training, including dietary changes and cardiovascular conditioning.⁶²⁹¹

He explained that the effort was intended to demonstrate the power of persistence and hard work while shining a spotlight on African dance, describing himself as bringing "the dreams of many creatives" with him onstage.⁹⁶

Why it spread

Crowds of young Nigerians gathered nightly at Freedom Park throughout the week to watch, cheer and film Gabriel, turning the venue into a kind of street party as the days wore on. Videos of the marathon circulated widely online and became a major talking point on social media.³⁴⁸⁵

This episode reflects a broader trend across Nigeria that traces back to chef Hilda Baci's 2023 cooking marathon, which Guinness later certified and which is said to have ignited a nationwide rush toward record-setting, with claims that Nigerians submitted more than 1,500 fresh applications in just two months—though one outlet disputes that number.¹³⁴⁵

The story reached an even wider audience through BBC and Al Jazeera reporting, in addition to coverage from several Nigerian news organizations, all framing it as a bid for the Guinness title that could put African dance on the world stage.¹⁷

Spectators offered emotional reactions as the week progressed. One visitor, Uche Anumudu, called it "a beautiful moment," while another, Moronumubo Akodu, said "it is actually insane but I am so proud of him." A third observer, Emmanuel Ulelu, noted stress on day two but later described Gabriel as reminding him "we're capable of doing unbelievable things."¹

What is true

It is confirmed that Guinness World Records had not yet confirmed whether Gabriel's attempt met the official criteria for a new record as of the reporting period, with adjudicators reportedly monitoring the event. Outlets consistently describe the feat as an 'attempt' still pending verification.¹³⁴⁵

The claim that the current record stands at 127 hours, held by Srushti Sudhir Jagtap since 2023, is reported by several outlets but flagged as disputed by at least one source, so it should be read as widely reported rather than settled fact. Similarly, Gabriel's 18 years of professional dance experience is affirmed by some outlets but disputed by others covering the same event, an inconsistency worth noting rather than glossing over.¹³⁴⁶

Details such as whether Gabriel was permitted five-minute rest breaks per hour, and the precise figure of 1,500-plus new Guinness applications from Nigeria after Hilda Baci's record, are also disputed between sources and not independently confirmed in the dossier.¹⁶⁵