Cook-a-thon: Samira Bawumia donates to Chef Faila

Mrs Samira Bawumia, the wife of Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, has made a donation to aid chef Failatu Abdul-Razak's Guinness World Record longest cooking marathon by an individual attempt.

According to a Facebook post by event organiser Eric Toscar, "the donation consists of 10 bags of 25 kilos of rice, 2 gallons of 25 liters of cooking oil, 2 cartons of tin tomatoes, 2 cartons of canned mackerel, 2 cartons of tuna flakes and 2 cartons of sardines".

Toscar also noted Mrs Bawumia "sent a delegation to do the donation on
her behalf".

Chef Failatu is eyeing a Guinness World Record currently held by Irish chef Alan Fisher who, according to a November-7-2023 GWR announcement, achieved the feat with a staggering 119 hours and 57 minutes, unseating Nigeria's Hilda Baci. Ms Baci, prior, had cooked for 93 hours and 11 minutes.

Chef Failatu is currently cooking at the Modern City Hotel in Tamale, the capital of the Northern Region, having begun her attempt on Sunday, December 31, 2023. She is to conclude today, Friday, January 5, 2024. Her aim is to cook for at least 120 hours.

So far, social media users have observed her unflagging strength and composure, and the ease with which she has cooked a mesmerising array of dishes, some humourously opining she could cook for a week, at least, from the look of things.

Apart from her live audience enjoying the meals cooked by her, a significant portion of Chef Failatu's food as part of her GWR cook-a-thon attempt has been shared to the needy on the streets of Tamale.

On Facebook, yesterday, Mrs Samira Bawumia, a potential First Lady, seeing as her husband is the governing New Patriotic Party's (NPP) flagbearer for the 2024 general elections, hailed and encouraged:

"Faila, I know you can do this, and you've done great so far. Keep going strong! We're proud of you."

It is not the first time the humanitarian Samira Bawumia has supported citizens embarking on a nation-glorifying adventure. Among others, in 2018, when rapper and singer-songwriter Kwesi Arthur was nominated for a Black Entertainment Television (BET) award, she rallied support and voted for him on social media.

Meanwhile, Chef Failatu's GWR attempt comes right after entrepreneur Afua Asantewaa Owusu Aduonum ended her GWR singing marathon attempt of 126 hours and 52 minutes at the Akwaaba Village, Airport City, Accra.

According to Asantewaa, her team will present evidence of her attempt to the Guinness World Record office in London before a verdict is received.

While she waits, she flew with her husband to Tamale to support Chef Failatu. She sang for her and also sat to down some of the cooked food.