Celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Effiong Bassey, popularly known as Hilda Baci, has revealed why she decided to reduce her initial plan of cooking 250 bags of rice to 200 during her latest record-breaking jollof rice challenge.
Speaking at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, where the massive event took place, Baci explained that the technical limits of the weighing equipment forced her to cut down on the quantity.
“If you notice when we started, we weighed the pot, and we need to weigh every single thing that goes into it when we’re done. The goal was 17,000 to 18,000 kilogrammes, but if I included the pot, it would total around 20,000 kilogrammes,” she said.
“The average crane and the measuring device can only weigh 20,000 kilogrammes. To be safe, I had to stay below that limit. That’s why I reduced the rice quantity. Even with 200 bags, we still achieved 4,000 kilogrammes, which can feed more than 20,000 people,” she added.
The event drew thousands of spectators, including Nollywood star Funke Akindele, dance professional Kaffy, and Ogun State First Lady, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun. It featured music, dancing, and fanfare, turning the cook-off into a carnival-like celebration.
Baci disclosed that the project took nearly a year of preparation, with the fabrication of the giant pot alone lasting two months. She also stressed that her goal was not only about records but about creating a unique food experience to unite Nigerians.
“When I came up with this idea, it wasn’t originally about Guinness World Records. I wanted to feed the nation, and seeing thousands of people eat from this pot proves that dream,” she said.
The Guinness World Records body acknowledged her attempt, wishing her success in what it described as an “ambitious” record challenge.