Guinness world record holder for the largest painting on canvas, Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo- Okeke at the weekend visited his home town, Amichi in Nnewi South Council Area of Anambra State.
Kanyeyachukwu who visited with members of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CYF) was received by his Grandfather, Chief Simon Nsobundu Okeke in their country home at Amichi.
Kanyeyachukwu, 16, and a Senior Secondary 2, (SS2), student had at 15 in 2025, broken the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the largest painting on canvas, in the world, painting 12,382 square metres in three months to beat the former holder who painted 9,000 square metres in seven months.
But now, the golden lad, an autistic is not painting. He is engaged in cycling for Autism in which he is riding from Enugu to Lagos and made a detour to his Amichi, Nnewi South Council home to see his grand father and other family members.
The ride from Enugu to Awka had taken him four hours, thirty minutes.
He had anchored at the Anambra light house, the seat of the state administration where the State Governor, Prof .Charles Chukwuma Soludo received him and his entourage before going to his home town.
Chief Simon Okeke, grand father to the Guinness World Record Holder had received his grand son in his “Obi” , the traditional out house of the head of the family in Igbo land where the owner settles nuclear and extended family and even village issues and disputes.
Chief Okeke prayed for his grand son, thanking God for the grace He had showered on him, using him to bring honour to the family, the Amichi community, Anambra State and the country at large, even as he prayed God to grant him longevity in the long run .
” My grand son won the Guinness World Record for the largest painting on canvas and is now getting set for another record on cycling.
” He is coming home to celebrate, riding from Enugu to Lagos. He is the Chief rider with 25 other supporters.
“He came to touch his roots and will continue to Onitsha to see the Obi of the ancient kingdom, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe and from there to Asaba, to the Governor of Delta State on Monday who will receive him.
” From there too, to Benin, Abeokuta and the grand finale to the Lagos State Governor in 10 days time.
” It will be another Guinness record for him and we thank God for the grace He has given him to achieve this goal. We also thank God for His mercies and the way He has guided the young boy and his team some of who are international cyclists from Togo, Ghana and other African countries as well as the medical team attached to them.
” Yes Kanyeyachukwu is autistic, doesn’t talk well but at the same time highly talented , Ordinarily, people will regard children with autism as failures, but today my grand son has proved that it is not so”, he said advising parents not to throw them away.
Chief Okeke, the former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) recalled the boy’s growing up when he would paint all the walls in his compound making them wonder, not knowing that he was developing his talent and charting the way to his destiny.
Kanyeyachukwu’ s father, Tagbo- Okeke simply said he was happy and overwhelmed saying they are a close knit family with brothers, sisters and other extended relatives.
But it was the boy’s mother, Dr. Sylvia Tagbo- Okeke who gave an insight into his birth and exploits. According to her, Kanyeyachukwu was at birth neither talking nor crying because all his mouth was closed. She said that they wondered what must have gone amiss only to discover after a while that he wasn’t normal.
For this reason, she said they ran pillar to post in search of solution, but that along the line found it was something they had to live with.
“He has autism and one has to tell the world what it is and to make parents understand that it is not something to make them throw away or abandon the child if they got one in the family.
” Today, Kanyeyachukwu has won the Guinness record for the largest painting in the world, painting 12,382 square metres to beat the former record holder.
Secondly, he setting another record riding 100 miles from Enugu to Lagos, but it is more than that because from Enugu to Lagos is about 400 miles.
” We are telling mothers that even with autism ,a child can be talented and not be thrown away.”, she said.
Dr.(Mrs) Sylvia Tagbo- Okeke said the young boy with speech impediment was trying to raise money for his foundation,” Kanyeyachukwu Autism Society”, which aims at assisting people in similar condition.
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