Ghanaian chef Ebenezer Smith, also known as Chef Smith, has been exposed for fraudulently claiming to have set a new Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.

Smith had announced on social media that he had set a new record of 802 hours and 25 minutes. This surpasses the previous mark by a great amount of time. However, Alina Polianskaya, a PR executive for Guinness World Records, has firmly refuted these claims.

“It is not true that Ebenezer Smith has been awarded a Guinness World Record certificate,” Polianskaya told BBC. “The current and true record holder for the longest cooking marathon by an individual is Alan Fisher from Ireland. He achieved 119 hours, 57 minutes, and 16 seconds in Matsue, Japan, from September 28 to October 3, 2023.”

Unfortunately, this revelation comes as a blow to Smith. He has proudly displayed a fake Guinness World Record certificate on his social media channels. Deceiving his followers into believing he had achieved the prestigious accomplishment.

The previous record holders
Also, the record holder before Alan Fisher was Hilda Baci, a Nigerian chef who set the world record in 2022 with a marathon of 100 hours. Hilda Baci’s achievement inspired millions of Nigerians. Several of them have come out to attempt to break different types of Guinness World Records. This wave is popularly tagged as the “Hilda Baci effect.”

Guinness World Records has made it clear that it does not recognize Smith’s claimed record. The organisation has taken steps to address the unauthorized use of its brand and the dissemination of false information.

Furthermore, this isn’t Ebenezer Smith’s first attempt at breaking the longest cooking marathon record. He sent his first application in June and November 2023 to which he was denied. Chef Smith claimed to have received approval from the Guinness World Records in January 2024 after which he and his team began preparing for the cook-a-thon.

Chef Smith’s arrest
Following the press conference held by Chef Smith, the police arrested him and his manager. Their arrest is due to a breach of contract between the chef and main sponsor of the cookathon, Amadia Shopping Center.

One of the company’s representatives stormed the venue of the press conference to understand why the chef did not inform them of the email that he went to another venue to make the public announcement.

Chef Smith’s lawyer, Kofi Awoonor, spoke on this situation at a local TV station (TV3). He said the arrest is “in connection with some disagreement with Chef Smith’s lead sponsor for the cookathon.”

“I got a call that my client has been arrested, so I came here. But the officers said the commander is not around where the investigators are also not in the office at the time – but they will brief me on Wednesday about the full details.”

Chef Smith’s former team member, Naa Adjeley, said; “The company has pumped over GH¢ 300k for the cookathon – for equipment, foodstuff and things used for the attempt, so they are upset that the chef did not tell them anything before he went to do the press conference.”

She also added that the chef has a new manager and team who have been running things. Apparently, they sidelined all the people who were part of the team during the cookathon attempt.

“Before I left the police station Tuesday night, it was the chef and his manager who were there answering questions.”

Finally, as Chef Ebenezer Smith is facing charges with Amadia Shopping Center, people are calling upon Guinness World Records to make a public statement to confirm if Chef Smith is indeed the official record holder.

The Guardian

Sweden launched a new law on Monday that allows grandparents to step in and get paid parental leave while taking care of their grandchildren for up to three months of a child’s first year.

The development comes after the Swedish parliament, the 349-seat Riksdag, approved last December the government’s proposal on the transfer of parental allowance.

This comes 50 years after the Scandinavian country became the first in the world to introduce paid parental leave for fathers and not just mothers.

Under the law, parents can transfer some of their generous parental leave allowance to the child’s grandparents.

A parent couple can transfer a maximum of 45 days to others, while a single parent can transfer 90 days, according to the Social Insurance Agency, a government agency that administers the social insurance system.

This Scandinavian country of 10 million, known for its taxpayer-funded social welfare system, has over generations built a society where citizens are taken care of from cradle to grave.

In Sweden, you are entitled to be fully off work when your child is born. Parental benefit is paid out for 480 days, or about 16 months, per child.

Of those, the compensation for 390 days is calculated based on a person’s full income, while for the remaining 90 days, people get a fixed amount of 180 kronor ($17) per day.

There are also other benefits for parents in Sweden — they can also work reduced hours until the child is 8 years old, while government employees can get those reduced hours until the child turns 12.

By contrast, the United States is one of only a handful of countries — and the only industrialized one — that does not have a national paid maternity leave policy. The Family and Medical Leave Act provides eligible American workers with up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave per year, but that time is unpaid.

“We have no federal, national-level entitlement to paid parental leave at all,” said Vicki Shabo, who researches and advocates for paid family and medical leave programs in the United States at Washington, D.C.-based think tank New America.

Paid family leave programs have been created in 13 states and Washington, D.C., although the parental leave offered in those places is generally about three months — just a fraction of Sweden’s benefits. As of March of last year, only about a quarter of civilian workers in the U.S. got paid family leave, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Even in states that offer paid leave to bond with a new child, that time is not transferable to grandparents unless they are acting as the child’s parent, said Jared Make, vice president at nonprofit advocacy organization A Better Balance.

“Families often extend beyond the nuclear family,” Make said. “Examples like Sweden show just how far behind the United States is. We have a lot of work to do to catch up with the rest of the industrialised world.”

Alexandra Wallin of Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency told Swedish broadcaster SVT the new law will “give greater opportunities.”

Still, the rules for grandparents, she said, are the same as for ordinary parental allowance and require a person be insured for parental allowance, which most people in Sweden are.

There are conditions for parental allowance — a retiree can also take parental leave, for example, in which case the compensation is based on the person’s pension. A person may not look for work or study during the time they receive parental allowance.

In the central town of Avesta, about 140 kilometers (87 miles) northwest of Stockholm, Ritva Kärkkäinen told SVT she is considering taking time off work to care for her grandchildren.

In 1974, Sweden replaced gender-specific maternity leave with parental leave for both parents. At the time, the so-called parental insurance enabled parents to take six months off work per child — with each parent entitled to half of the days.

However, after that move, only 0.5% of the paid parental leave was taken by fathers, according to the Social Insurance Agency. Today, fathers in Sweden take around 30% of the paid parental leave, the agency said.

Associated Press writers David Keyton in Berlin and Claire Savage in Chicago contributed to this report.

A woman by the name of Mariam, also a 103-year-old woman, has shared her poignant story of love, heartbreak and unwavering patience, revealing how she waited her whole life for a man who never returned.

Mariam, a virgin, recounted her deep feelings for John, a young European adventurer she met in her youth. John, who travelled to Tanzania seeking adventure, formed a close bond with Mariam, who helped him acclimatise to his new environment. Their friendship blossomed into a profound love.

“I met John, a young white man from Europe who came to Tanzania in search of adventure and purpose. I helped him navigate and settle into his new environment. Over time, our friendship blossomed into something more. He was unlike anyone I had ever met. His manners, stories, and kindness fascinated me. He respected my culture and showed genuine interest in my life and aspirations,” Mariam recalled.

Their relationship deepened, and Mariam fell deeply in love with John, who appeared to reciprocate her feelings. They shared dreams and hopes for a future together. However, John’s sudden and unexplained departure shattered Mariam’s dreams.

“One day, John received an urgent summons to return to his hometown. He left without saying goodbye, and I was devastated. I searched for him for years, holding onto hope that he would return,” she said.

Despite the passage of time, Mariam remained committed to her cultural values, maintaining her virginity in anticipation of marriage with John. Her belief in preserving her purity until marriage was deeply ingrained in her culture.

“I remained a virgin, as it was expected in our culture to preserve purity until marriage. Even though I loved John deeply and we had an incredible bond, I remained steadfast in upholding this cultural value,” Mariam explained.

As years went by, the hope of John’s return faded, leaving Mariam feeling both betrayed and alone. Yet, she remained resolute in her promise to herself and her cultural beliefs.

“I refused to accept that he might not come back. Despite the wonderful moments we shared, I clung to the belief that John would eventually return,” she added.

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The Toronto Zoo has become a hot topic on social media after a TikTok video showcasing their gorillas and their Nigerian-inspired names went viral.

The video, posted by user @iam_mattesh, features the gorillas and nameplates identifying them as Ngozi, Nneka, and Sadiki. While some users found this amusing, others found it downright uncomfortable.

A follow-up comment by user @arojinle1 offered insights, bringing, a new perspective. He wrote, “The names given to the gorillas were not meant to insult Nigerians or Africans. Zoos often name their animals based on their region of origin. These gorillas are likely Cross River gorillas, native to Nigeria, so the zoo chose names reflecting their heritage.”

User @arojinle1 further clarified writing, “One of the gorillas is named Charles. Does that mean they’re calling every Charles an animal? There’s a reason behind zoo naming practices. The lion at the OOPL Zoom was named Àrẹ́mú because it was donated by former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo Arẹmu. Let’s not get upset over something with good intentions.”

Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation?
Furthermore, the naming of the gorillas treads on the fine line between cultural appropriation and appreciation.

While some see the Nigerian names as a respectful nod to the animals’ “heritage,” others fear that it brings back a history of dehumanisation.

The Toronto Zoo has yet to officially comment on the viral video or the ongoing discourse surrounding the gorillas’ names. However, their website does mention a commitment to animal welfare and species preservation efforts, which may align with their naming choices.

Room for Open Conversation
Finally, the whole controversy surrounding the Toronto Zoo’s gorilla names is culturally sensitive. Zoos have a responsibility to not only care for animals but also to educate the public about their origins and conservation needs.

Perhaps including explanations behind the naming choices in exhibits or on their website could help people understand better.

Following anxiety over the well-being of veteran Nollywood actor, Olu Jacobs, after rumours of his death hit social media on Sunday, publisher and founder of Genevieve Magazine, Betty Irabor, has dismissed the rumours as untrue.

Irabor, a close family associate of Olu Jacobs and his wife, Joke Silva, debunked Jacob’s rumoured death via a post on X, saying, ‘Olu Jacobs is well and alive. Please ignore all rumours of his passing.”

Also dismissing the report, President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, refuted reports about the octogenarian’s passage, saying, “It is not true. I spoke with his wife.”

Olu Jacobs has been battling dementia for a couple of years now, and his wife, Joke Silva, spoke about how they are coping with it. The report of his death led to widespread mourning and tributes across social media platforms.

As of the time of this report, big accounts on social media had gathered millions of views on the post and have refused to take down their tweets.

Comedians Brainjotter and Kemi Olounloyo were amongst the celebrities who posted the story of Jacobs’s demise and despite being told, they left the rumour to trend.

The Veteran Nollywood actor and his wife, Joke Silva, have always been described as ‘Power Couples’ who have made many thespians and fans gush and applaud them for how they have espoused good and worthy examples of celebrity couples.

He is one of the first Nigerian actors featured in Hollywood / American productions like Ashanti.’

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