Eric Toscar, a member of Afua Asantewaa’s team, has released screenshots supporting the sing-a-thon star’s assertion that she could not access her account logins at the time Guinness World Records (GWR) communicated the result of her attempt.
Earlier in an interview with GhOne TV monitored by GhanaWeb, Afua Asantewaa dispelled claims that she deliberately hid the results of her failed sing-a-thon attempt.
“Regardless of whether it’s successful or unsuccessful, I would have shared it with Ghanaians. So, I spoke about a miscommunication with GWR… It had to do with my login account; I don’t have access. So, as I sit here, I don’t have official documents to even post on my social media. I can’t access my account,” she earlier stated.
Her comment ignited reactions, with some individuals accusing her of dishonesty. They argued that her excuse was problematic, insisting that she knew about the disqualification but decided to conceal it to keep enjoying the benefits of having embarked on the challenge.
To counter the negative narrative surrounding Afua Asantewaa, Eric Toscar released screenshots on February 26, 2024. These images spanned moments when the Guinness World Records acknowledged receipt of the evidence of her record attempt, when she sent money for priority processing, and notably when she complained about not being able to access her logins.
In the provided screenshots, it is evident that on Thursday, February 22, a day before the results were announced, Afua Asantewaa had complained to the Guinness World Records through Instagram, expressing her inability to access her account.
In response, the organization promised to help sort out the issue.
Disqualification
GWR officials on Friday, February 23, 2024, disclosed that Afua Asantewaa was unsuccessful. This was announced via X when a tweep asked the organization about the outcome.
After a further probe by Joy FM’s Kwame Dadzie into the disqualification, the entity stated that Afua Asantewaa’s sing-a-thon attempt was thwarted because the guidelines around rest break timings were not met.
“Afua Asantewaa’s sing-a-thon attempt was not successful due to guidelines around rest break timings not being met. These rules are standard across all of our ‘longest marathon’ records. We’ve seen how inspirational it has been for her fans…We wish Afua the best of luck with any future record attempts,” the statement contained.
Asantewaa’s initial response before the GhOne interview
Shortly after Guinness World Records announced Afua’s unsuccessful venture on February 23, 2024, she took to social media and stated that she received the news of the outcome just moments before hosting a gala dinner and the launch of the Lebanese Scholarship Alumni Network, attended by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
This statement was the beginning of the controversy and backlash as some argued she knew about the decision even before the tweet from GWR.
The sing-a-thon
On December 24, 2023, Asantewaa embarked on a mission to break the Guinness World Record for the longest singing marathon. She was the toast of December in GH as she sang for 126 hours and 52 minutes. She initially planned to end on 27th December; however, after consultation with her team, she decided to sing continuously for five days.
The event which took place at the Akwaaba Village in Accra, near the Kotoka International Airport, saw thousands in attendance in their bid to support her and be part of history.
A tall list of showbiz personalities including Nana Ama McBrown, Kwabena Kwabena, Efya, Sista Afia, Afronitaa, Delay, Cina Soul, Clemento Suarez, Akuapem Poloo, Lawyer Nti, Piesie Esther and OB Amponsah also thronged the venue demonstrating their collective support for the event.
The commentaries were overwhelmingly positive, with people consistently applauding and encouraging her to forge ahead in her impressive endeavor.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
