By Maryanne Awuya
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa on Wednesday received a Guinness World Record certificate from autistic artist and cyclist, Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke, following his cycling expedition from Enugu to Lagos.
The presentation took place in Abuja, with the minister describing the teenager as an inspiration to Nigeria and the global autism community.
According to a statement issued by the minister’s Special Adviser, Nneka Anibeze obtained by Persecondnews, the minister praised Kanye’s resilience, creativity, and determination, while commending his family for supporting his talents and advocacy efforts.
“Kanye is the personification of what makes us want to be better human beings. He continues to break every single glass ceiling and surpass every expectation,” she said.
She added that the teenager’s achievements could earn him greater global recognition in the future because of his advocacy and impact.
Persecondnews reports that Tagbo-Okeke, a 16-year-old autistic artist and athlete, recently completed a historic 687-kilometre cycling expedition from Enugu to Lagos to mark World Autism Awareness Day in April 2026.
The journey, themed “Impossibility is a Myth,” lasted three weeks and covered seven states, with the aim of combating stigma and raising funds for the training of 1,000 caregivers.
During the “Ride for Autism,” Kanyeyachukwu secured his second Guinness World Record as the youngest person to cycle 100 miles in the II1 (intellectual impairment) classification.
His arrival in Lagos was met with massive support, including a ₦200 million pledge from Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and a ₦10 million donation from the Delta State First Lady for autism advocacy.
“This second Guinness World Record is for cycling. He cycled from Enugu to Lagos, and it was also a tourism journey, captured along the way through community engagements and receptions in various states,” she said.
She added that the family decided to officially present the certificate to the minister because of her consistent support for Kanye’s exhibitions and initiatives.
Dr. Tagbo-Okeke also disclosed that the teenager is scheduled to hold an art exhibition at the United Nations headquarters in New York from May 20 to August 25, 2026.
Kanye completed the cycling expedition between March 19 and April 2, 2026, travelling across several states from Enugu to Lagos as part of a campaign to promote autism awareness and tourism.
The journey, themed “Ride for Autism” and tagged “Impossibility is a Myth,” featured community engagements and cultural showcases across the states visited.
The feat established him as the youngest person to cycle more than 100 miles in the intellectual impairment category after covering a total distance of over 680 miles during the expedition.
Persecondnews reports that, prior to the cycling record, the teenager gained international recognition after setting a Guinness World Record in April 2025 for the largest painting on canvas, measuring over 12,300 square metres.
Having exhibited at prestigious venues such as the New York Art Expo and received honours including the Austrian Flame of Peace Award, Kanyeyachukwu continues to use his platform to promote neurodiversity and prove that developmental challenges are not barriers to global excellence.
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