Ololade Ayelabola, a Computer Science graduate from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), has been officially certified by Guinness World Records for the longest distance walked on a catwalk by a model.
The announcement, made on March 10, 2025, confirmed that Ayelabola walked an impressive 125.11 kilometers (77.74 miles) over four days at the UNILAG Indoor Sports Centre in October 2024.
During her record-breaking attempt, Ayelabola completed 2,058 laps around the sports center, surpassing her initial goal of 120 kilometers. She modeled outfits from various Nigerian designers, including collections from the UNILAG Theatre Arts Department, showcasing the creativity and diversity of Nigerian fashion.
Ayelabola’s inspiration for this challenge stemmed from discrimination and disqualification from two fashion weeks last year when she was rejected due to her height. She noted that “it really broke her heart,” hence her decision to officially break a record in the same industry where she was discriminated against.
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“I reminded myself that I was not only walking for myself but for every other person who is facing a barrier. For every single step I took on the catwalk and, on the runway, I was taking a walk against stereotypes and challenges that we face in the modeling fashion industry.”
Celebrating her achievement on Instagram, she encouraged her followers to pursue their dreams fearlessly, stating, “Dare to dream and make your dream a reality.”
Notably, Ayelabola was the winner of the Most Beautiful Campus Queen pageant in 2021, a Nigerian inter-campus beauty pageant established in 2019 to promote creativity and resilience among undergraduates and recent graduates.
On her Instagram handle, she hints at contesting for the Miss Nigeria pageant, pushing more boundaries in the modeling industry.
