Fado the Great: The Nigerian record attempt bringing magic shows back to spotlight

On a dimly lit stage in an event venue in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, Ibitoye King Fad, also known as Fado the Great, is draped in the Nigerian national flag but looks nothing like the civil engineering graduate that he is. Instead, he moves with the ease and confidence of a seasoned showman.

This past weekend, the 26-year-old from southwest Osun State embarked on something extraordinary: breaking the world record for the “Longest Magic Show by an Individual”.

The current record holder, according to Guinness World Records, is Richard Smith from the UK, who performed for 30 hours and 45 minutes on August 7–8, 2004.

Fado aims to surpass that with a continuous 50-hour performance. However, for him, this quest is more than just about endurance or recognition—it's about redefining Nigeria’s relationship with a misunderstood and nearly invisible art form.

“In every other part of the world, the magic industry is on par with every other sector. In the Western world. It's a multi-billion-dollar industry. But Nigeria, one of the key centres of entertainment on the African continent, we have magicians - not just one. I personally know close to 50, but the masses don't even know they exist,” Fado tells TRT Afrika.

Meticulous preparation

In preparing to break Richard’s record, he spent more than a year designing and assembling tricks for the marathon show, determined that the spectacle behind magic talent—not just his stamina to perform for 50 hours—would shine.

“I prepared 200 magic tricks because the rule states you cannot repeat a trick within four hours,” he says.

“People think it’s easy, but I had to watch many magic lectures to decide which tricks I could build. Buying props is expensive; building them takes time. I built most props myself. It was tedious, working day and night,” he adds.

His preparation also extended well beyond rehearsing illusions.

“I started physical training in January—gym three to four times a week,” Fado tells TRT Afrika. “I’ve lost weight. Although I could perform my tricks seated or standing, as long as the show didn’t stop, I nonetheless did long walks of four to five hours every other day to build leg strength.”

Then he adds, with a grin, “I made sure to get many props. This will be the first impression of magic on so many guests in the audience, and so I wanted to make their first impression of magic to be done right.”

Battling perceptions

For Fado, the biggest challenge wasn’t the marathon itself but the stigma surrounding magic in Nigeria.

“A lot of people still believe magic is the dark arts or juju, as it is commonly called in Nigeria,” he explains. Humans like logic. So, if someone sees something they can’t explain, they say, ‘Oh, it must be the dark arts’,” he says, laughing such misconception off.

“Meanwhile, I learnt magic from YouTube. Anyone can type ‘card tricks for beginners’, get a deck, and start. It’s like learning an instrument. It takes years to reach my level, but the information is available.”

He says he dreams to make magic ordinary, familiar—even domestic.

“I want magic to get to a point where parents say, ‘Hey, come and perform a few tricks to entertain my family.’ Magic is something fun—not something supernatural.”

Toughest Rule

Despite the physical demands, Fado says the hardest requirement from the Guinness World Records had nothing to do with staying awake.

“The toughest rule is having audience members at all times—a minimum of ten people, nonstop, and turnout was unpredictable.”

But Fado had a backstage team that worked to keep the audience numbers well above the minimum requirements.

“The most important teams were the production crew, my magic assistants, and the record adjudicators. We were not joking with any of the rules. Everyone went through the guidelines, front and back, to ensure compliance.”

He also brushes aside criticisms of the recent surge in Guinness World Record attempts from Nigeria.

“In the US or India, people attempt records regularly. It’s normal. If you think you can, challenge yourself by doing it, then do it. because doing it helps us tell good stories.”

Engineering can wait

Although he holds an engineering degree, Fado insists the stage is where he belongs for now.

“Every businessman says focus on one thing first,” he says. “I love engineering, but I’m focusing on entertainment now. I have a construction company I’m building slowly. Once my entertainment career is solid, I will expand into engineering more actively.”

As he submits his evidence to the Guinness World Records, Fado waits—and hopes. If certified, he says the achievement will illuminate an art form long cast in shadow, bringing magic in Nigeria back into the spotlight.