Nigerian autistic teen sets world painting record and spotlights the disorder

ABUJA – A 15-year-old autistic Nigerian has acceptable a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest creation canvas to rise consciousness for autism.

Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke's painting, which features a multi-colored ribbon — the autism awesome — surrounded by emojis, spans 12,304 quadrate meters. It is aimed astatine highlighting the spectrum disorder and challenges that radical similar him look amid stigma and constricted resources successful Nigeria.

“I felt fine. Happy. Just fine,” said Tagbo-Okeke, whose upset limits his speech.

His artwork eclipsed that of Emad Salehi, the erstwhile satellite grounds holder, who was astir 3 times older astatine 42 erstwhile helium acceptable the grounds with a 9,652-square metre canvas.

The artwork, created successful November 2024, was unveiled and officially recognized by the Guinness World Record organizers successful Nigeria’s superior of Abuja during the World Autism Acceptance Day successful April.

Nigeria’s creation and civilization curate Hannatu Musawa said Tagbo-Okeke's artwork is “a beacon of anticipation and inspiration” for radical with autism.

“We admit the unsocial abilities and imaginable of individuals with autism and are dedicated to providing opportunities for them to thrive successful the originative industries,” Musawa added.

'Impossibility is simply a Myth'

Born successful Canada earlier moving to Nigeria, Tagbo-Okeke's upbringing has been challenging, his household said. His begetter told The Associated Press during a caller interrogation that determination was often fear, disorder and sadness on the way.

“Not being capable to pass with your lad oregon person regular activities you could person with immoderate different kid is rather depressing,” Tagbo Okeke said.

Many radical connected the spectrum look stigma and constricted resources successful Nigeria, but Tagbo-Okeke's household was determined to springiness him the champion support.

The young artist's record-breaking attempt, accompanied by a run tagged “Impossibility is simply a Myth," was wide celebrated among Nigerians, partially due to the fact that of his young age.

“We felt an overwhelming consciousness of alleviation and pride, knowing the countless hours and months of effort helium poured into breaking the record,” his parent Silvia said.

Many young radical successful Nigeria person attempted to interruption the Guinness World Record successful caller years. At slightest 7 Nigerians person breached satellite records successful the past 3 years, including Hilda Baci, who won the longest cooking marathon and Tunde Onakoya, who played the longest chess marathon.

Early enactment is key

Kanyeyachukwu’s satellite grounds effort besides sought to rise funds for the Zeebah Foundation, a nonprofit focusing connected providing enactment to those connected the spectrum and their families.

While determination are nary authoritative records from wrong Nigeria, astir 1 successful 100 children worldwide has autism, according to the World Health Organization.

Like successful galore different countries, autism is often not diagnosed successful Nigeria until successful older years.

The deficiency of reliable information connected autism, capable consciousness and authorities enactment for the spectrum upset are immoderate of the biggest challenges autistic radical look successful Nigeria, said Stanley Effah, laminitis of the Ferdinand Effah Music Heritage Foundation.

Effah, whose kid is autistic, said his instauration is readying to motorboat an yearly philharmonic performance featuring large artists arsenic portion of efforts to rise consciousness astir autism successful Nigeria.

Access to stem compartment therapy for autistic children should besides beryllium included nether the Nigerian National Health Insurance program arsenic a mode to amended their care, Effah said.

Kanyeyachukwu's parent said much authorities enactment was cardinal to supply those connected the spectrum the attraction they request aboriginal connected successful life.

Kanyeyachukwu was lone diagnosed successful Canada aft years of failed attempts successful Nigeria, the begetter said. The diagnosis paved the mode to decently enactment him, including his emotion for drawing, discovered astatine the property of 4.

“We’ve done a batch of enactment with him,” helium said. "Kanye tin tidy his room, helium tin lavation his apparel — each of this is due to the fact that of aboriginal intervention. If near alone, helium decidedly would not beryllium capable to bash these things.”

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