Dr. Fola David, a Nigerian physician and visual artist, is grateful to Tolaram, a Singaporean business conglomerate, for supporting him throughout his journey to create history for his nation. On Sunday, July 21, he successfully broke and established a new Guinness World Record for the largest painting by an individual.

David was speaking at a media presentation organised in his honour by Tolaram on Wednesday July 24, at the company’s corporate head office in Lagos. He noted with delight the unprecedented support he has received from Tolaram over the years, saying that this relationship which has been instrumental to the achievement of his dream was a journey that began nine years ago.

“I want to say a very big thank you to Tolaram for their support. The journey has been long. We all have heard about the six days that led to the creation of the largest drawing in the world by an individual, but what most people don’t know is that we’ve been on this for years, and Tolaram has been supportive all through the years”, he said. 

He also expressed his gratitude to Tolaram for supporting his social cause over the years through its donations to his foundation, established to provide succour to the less privileged in the society. 

Commenting on his recent feat, David described it as arduous, adding that his determination to achieve the record comes from his strong desire to make sure that he expresses himself as a medical doctor and as an artist. He said it also from his passion for humanity, and the desire to inspire people to go the extra length.

“I want you to know that everything is possible once you set your mind to it. I want to inspire people out there to push their limit; to make sure that you don’t put yourself inside a particular box and think that this is where I have to stay, but rather say, I can go further than this. I can break these boundaries, I can do this or do that”, he said. 

David’s record-breaking journey, which was proudly sponsored by Tolaram, began on July 16, 2024, at the Onikan stadium in Lagos and culminated with a triumphant closing ceremony on July 21, 2024. 

Surpassing the previous record of 629.98 square metres held by Ravi Soni of India on the fourth day of his attempt, David set his sights on achieving 1,000 square metres of artistry. His determination and unwavering commitment led him to surpass the existing record on Friday, with a final achievement of setting a new record of 1,150 square metres on Sunday July 21.

Also speaking at the media presentation, Temitope Ashiwaju, Group Corporate Communication and Events General Managerat Tolaram commended David for his achievement, and noted that his bold endeavour to break the Guinness World Record resonated deeply with the company’s values, saying that it was proud to have supported him in his quest. 

“Like he had mentioned, nine years ago, the idea to break that world record was conceived and as a brand, Tolaram gave him its 100% support and has been part of this journey through the years; even while the painting was being done, we were there all together”, he said.

“Dr. Fola David not only broke records but also exemplified the spirit of overcoming challenges, which aligns perfectly with our brand. For us, we believe that there’s still more to be given in terms of creativity, in terms of our unity in diversity, and how important it is for us as a nation to come together to actually realise our dreams. All you just have to do is to conceive the idea and believe in yourself and it will be done’, Ashiwaju added.