Nigerian doctor breaks world record for largest drawing

Nigerian doctor David, surpasses the existing record for the world’s largest painting by an individual

Fola David, the Nigerian doctor, has set a new Guinness World Record (GWR) for the largest drawing by an individual.

David, also a visual artist from Lagos, began the attempt on July 16. The six-day drawing marathon was held at Onikan Stadium. He said he would be drawing a Nigeria map showcasing her diverse cultures.

On Friday, David surpassed the previous record of 629.98 m² (6781.04 ft²) held by Ravi Soni from India. Soni achieved the record in Rajasthan on November 30, 2021.

The Nigerian visual artist also revealed that his ultimate goal is 1000 square metres of art.

“Congratulations to us all. On Day 4 at 9 p.m., we broke the current record of 629.98 square metres, but we are not yet done!” Davido wrote on Instagram.

“The goal is to get over 1000 square metres of canvas covered in drawings; we are currently at 689 square metres. Let’s Go!”

David’s record-breaking attempt is however subject to confirmation from the prestigious British reference book.

During the exercise, a plethora of notable Nigerians visited David at the stadium to offer their support.

They include Peter Obi, former presidential candidate; Hilda Baci, the chef and former GWR holder; Farooq Oreagba, the businessman who stole the show at the 2024 Ojude Oba Festival.

The management of the College of Medicine University of Lagos (CMUL) also showed their solidarity and support to David, who is an alumnus of the college.

The attempt is expected to end on July 21.

Born on September 5, 1993, David, real name Adefemi Gbadamosi, is a medical doctor who doubles as a visual and hyper-realism artist. He holds a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos.

He paints people on stage while the canvas is upside down or spinning. He has worked on canvas of Adeyeye Ogunwunsi, the Ooni of Ife; singers Patoranking, Trey Songz, Wale, Keri Hilson, R-Kelly, Jidenna, 2Baba, Iyanya, Dj Jimmy Jatt, and comedian Alibaba.

He was nominated for The Future Awards Africa Prize For Art & Culture in 2017.