Another Nigerian Stylist Breaks Guinness World Record for Longest Handmade Wig

She crafted a hairpiece that’s 3.65 m (11 ft 11 in) wide and trails all the way to the floor. For scale, a Mini Cooper is 3.63 m (11 ft 10 in) long.

Nigerians suddenly get itchy feet and a surging knack for breaking records. This craving has propelled many to attempt breaking different records. While one breaks the record of reading aloud for 215 hours, another breaks the record for longest marathon time of playing chess. The attempt to break records and probably torn apart the Guinness Word Record Book with Nigerian stories is replete.

Since the emergence of Chef Hilda Baci in 2023, who broke the record for longest hour of cooking. Nigerians have started to engage in what many had called a similar attempt to break records. The Baci’s record-breaking attempt was probably such an eye-opening exposé or event that set many Nigerian creative on a rollercoaster ride of seeing the need to break records in their endeavours.

Now! In all walks of life that ever existed in Nigeria, almost everyone wants to break a record and set a new one. In the heydays of Baci’s record-breaking attempt, a Nigerian had set himself on the journey to break the record of marathon crying. GWR eventually dissociated itself from it, saying such person never registered with them. But this was at the time the individual had cried for more than 24 hours. At the end he eventually, went blind and nothing else was heard of him.

Breaking records is good. But what record is suitable to be broken? We’ve seen some extraordinary and landmarking attempts to break different remarkable records and it has always remained the pride of the country. Like a Nigerian that interviewed about 99 individuals for longest marathon interview by one person. Or a 19-year-old who broke the record of longest marathon of nail-painting by one person.

Moving forward, a Nigerian hair stylist and creator, Helen Williams, has decided to take her craft to another tent of pedestal by attempting to break the longest marathon of handmade wig by one person. She had done a longest handmade wig some years back, with many accolades pouring. But while others are attempting to break other records, for years without her record being broken, she set herself on the edge to rewrite the record and break a new one. This time it was an opportunity to break the record for the widest wig handmade by one person.

According to the GWR website, Williams crafted a hairpiece that’s 3.65 m (11 ft 11 in) wide and trails all the way to the floor. For scale, a Mini Cooper is 3.63 m (11 ft 10 in) long.

The stellar creator and wig maker began working on her latest record-breaking creation in February, and it took her just over a month to complete it.

It’s made from more than 800 bundles of auburn hair and Helen spent 4,138,200 Naira ($2,719; £2,150) on the materials.

Williams, who also holds the record for most hair clips in a wig in 30 seconds with 90, said: “I am very proud of myself. I now hold three records.

“As a professional wig maker, I look forward to breaking many more records in the wig category. I enjoy taking on difficult tasks, it makes me a better person and I learn new things.”

Williams, 31, made her very wide wig mostly by hand but used a sewing machine for some parts.

She stitched it all together on the framework with needle and thread and attached over 1,000 rhinestones to it.

Williams makes wigs every day, but this was such a huge project that it took her months to plan and design.

She was inspired to take on the challenge by actress and talk show host Drew Barrymore, who was involved in making a previous record-breaking wide wig.

“I am a big fan of Drew Barrymore, she also inspired me,” Williams said.

She did face some challenges though.

In her words “I encountered many problems. The first few days of the attempt were difficult because I couldn’t walk or sit properly anymore.

“I was feeling pains everywhere, I had to deal with neck pains, back pains, and pains in my thighs.

“Putting the wig on my head was also very tough because of the weight.

“But I am very happy I completed the project.”

Williams has put the wig on display in her office and plans to keep it there.

“I want my children and great grandkids to grow up and see the widest wig,” she said. “The wig is now part of history.”

When she first began her journey to becoming a record breaker, Williams says she faced negativity from doubters on social media who said she’d never be able to do it.

But she has a very different experience online these days.

Helen Williams advice to others is: “No matter how difficult it looks, don’t ever give up”.

Enoch Oyedibu

I am a writer and investigative journalist who specialises in literary criticism and underrepresented narratives. Among other publications, I have been featured in Business Day Nigeria, TheICIR, Platform Times and Daily Nigerian. Right now, I work as a full-time staff writer for Unconventional Magazine.