It was a shocking sight at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, on Friday night as the giant pot used by celebrity chef Hilda Baci to set a Guinness World Record for the largest serving of Nigerian jollof rice suddenly collapsed after the crane meant to weigh it malfunctioned.

Thousands of people who had waited patiently to feast on the record-breaking rice gasped as the massive structure gave way, bringing a dramatic night to an unforgettable conclusion.

The collapse, however, did not dampen the celebration. Guests had already been served, and many continued eating and cheering late into the night, turning the mishap into another chapter of a historic occasion.

For Hilda, it was still mission accomplished: a brand-new Guinness World Record for cooking the world’s largest pot of Nigerian jollof rice.

READ ALSO:Why I Cooked 200 Bags Of Rice Instead If 250 — Hilda Baci

The atmosphere throughout the event had been electrifying. Hilda, known for her 2023 Cook-a-thon fame, thrilled over 20,000 fans, food lovers, celebrities, and influencers who packed into the venue for the first-of-its-kind attempt.

Before firing up the stove, she rolled up her sleeves to personally wash the massive red pot, joking with her fans: “Yes, I can officially confirm this pot is squeaky clean! I washed it myself.”

She told journalists that the process was carefully calculated to preserve the dish’s authenticity.

“To keep the authenticity of the jollof rice, I applied some mathematics, and we will still watch it while it is cooking to make sure that everything is right,” she explained.

READ ALSO:VIDEO: Hilda Baci Washes Giant Pot Ahead Of Record-breaking Jollof Rice Attempt

Moments before the cooking began, Hilda held a short but emotional prayer session with the lead pastor of the Harvesters Church, Bolaji Idowu, setting a solemn tone before the fiery cook-out began.

As the rice simmered, the crowd swelled, with guests beaming in excitement for a taste of the steaming dish.

Notable personalities such as Veekee James, Tomike Adeoye, and Enioluwa joined the celebration, cheering her on. Even Guinness World Records itself showed support, dropping a goodwill message on her Instagram page as the cooking unfolded.

Speaking after the feat, Hilda disclosed that it took nine months of preparation and revealed that the pot, which eventually collapsed, was specially built over two months to handle the enormous task.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: Guinness World Records Confirms Irish Chef, Alan Fisher Dethrones Hilda Baci

She explained that she had originally planned to cook 250 bags of rice, but scaled down to 200 bags, about 4,000 kilograms, due to weighing challenges.

The ingredients also included staggering amounts of tomato paste, onions, oil, and spices, all supplied by food sponsor Gino.

Despite the shocking end, the attempt has already been hailed as one of the boldest food events ever staged in Nigeria.

From the prayers to the pot collapse, from the suspense of the weighing to the feast that followed, Hilda Baci once again proved her knack for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.

For Lagosians who stayed all night, it was not just about jollof rice but about being part of history and going home with full stomachs and a story they would never forget.

Nigerian sensational celebrity chef, Hilda Baci, has revealed why she decided to cook 200 bags of rice instead of the initially planned 250 bags for her Guinness World Record attempt for the largest serving of Nigerian-style Jollof rice.

In a statement, Baci said the decision to scale down the rice quantity was due to technical reasons related to the measuring crane and scale designed to weigh the final dish.

The custom-made pot’s weight, combined with the rice, would exceed the 20,000-kilogram limit of the measuring device.

READ ALSO:VIDEO: Hilda Baci Washes Giant Pot Ahead Of Record-breaking Jollof Rice Attempt

“If you notice when we started, we weighed the pot and we needed to weigh every single thing that goes into the pot when we’re done.

“The average crane and the measuring device can only weigh 20,000 kilogrammes. It’s safer for me to go below 20,000 kilogrammes so that my scale can carry it all at the same time,” Baci explained.

Despite reducing the quantity, Baci emphasized that the 200 bags of rice cooked still amount to 4,000 kilograms, enough to feed 20,000 people.

READ ALSO:PICTORIAL: Hilda Baci Visits Guinness World Records Office

“This 4,000 kilogrammes of rice is 200 bags of rice and it will still feed 20,000 people, so we’re still up there,” she said.

The event, which drew a large crowd of food lovers, celebrities, and dignitaries, has taken on the feel of a carnival with music, dancing, and appearances from public figures.

Baci described the feat as the most ambitious of her career, noting that it took almost a year of planning to pull off.

READ ALSO:Hilda Baci’s Tweet, Our Best Of All Time – Guinness World Records

“Honestly, Gino and I figured this whole thing out was hectic. Figuring out how to fabricate the pots, it took Mr Ayo two months to figure out and fabricate the pots. Then it took us about nine months to plan this event and it took us almost nine hours to make the entire meal,” she revealed.

Guinness World Record, the London-based record body, posted a message of encouragement on social media, wishing Baci “best of luck” in her attempt.

The recognition comes just two years after Guinness certified Baci’s 2023 cook-a-thon, which brought her global fame and inspired many young Nigerians to explore the culinary industry.

Afrobeats singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has revealed why he is no longer stable on social media.

Davido, who is the most-followed African artist on social media, insinuated that his marriage has forced him to limit his use of social media while responding to a fan who expressed worries over his recent absence from social media.

The fan wrote on X, “Davido never post for over 3 days now. I miss my idolo.”

Responding, the music star wrote, “When u marry u go understand.. lol”

READ ALSO:VIDEO: Davido Reveals Cost Of His White Wedding

Davido and his wife, Chioma Adeleke, held their white wedding ceremony in Miami, Florida, in August 2025.

The couple marked their one-month wedding anniversary on Thursday, September 11, 2025.

Chioma shared a short clip from their glamorous wedding as she expressed deep gratitude and happiness for the journey so far.

Davido responded with a heartfelt comment, describing their wedding day as “the best day ever.”