Greatness does not always show up alone. Behind every record broken is a quiet village that believed. On Friday, September 12, 2025, Lagos witnessed something unforgettable. The smoky aroma of tomatoes, peppers, and spices filled the air at Eko Hotel & Suites, Car Park B, as thousands gathered for what would become a moment etched into culinary and cultural history: the world’s largest pot of Jollof rice, cooked by none other than Chef Hilda Baci. She is the first person bold enough to cook Nigerian jollof in a pot so massive, most of us would not even imagine it. That is life: God can drop an unusual dream in your heart, something that feels bigger than your size. But the real question is—do you have the grit to push?
The numbers themselves were staggering:
- Over 20,000 registered guests
- 4,000 kg of washed basmati slowly meeting 612 kg of oil
- 800 kg of Gino Asun peppered chicken and party jollof mix
- 600 kg of Hilda’s signature pepper blend
- 220 kg of seasoning cubes, 20 g of curry, and 7 g of thyme
- 300 kg of onion, garlic, and ginger blend
- 164 kg of fresh goat meat stewing into tenderness
- 1,200 kg of gas burning for 9 straight hours
- All of it fused together into 16,600 plates of jollof rice—not just served, but shared with joy, laughter, and community
But numbers never tell the full story. What struck me the most was not just Hilda’s fire. It was the people beside her. Those stirring, lifting, sweating—making sure every plate was perfect. That pot did not cook itself. Every person who touched that rice deserves applause. The paddles looked like oversized wooden oars. The heat rising from that pot could have filled a stadium. Yet they kept going. That is why I say this was not Hilda’s win alone. Every hand that touched that rice deserves to be celebrated.
Behind Hilda stood another quiet giant: her mother, Lynda Ndukwe Bassey. Long before Guinness Records and viral headlines, there was a little girl who did not like cooking with her mum. But life has a way of planting seeds. Watching her mother cook, serve, and nurture through food shaped Hilda more than she admitted at the time. Years later, she would credit her mum for inspiring her persistence and heart. Hilda has said, “Who I am today is because I am my mother’s daughter.”
And at every milestone—whether it was her 2023 Cook-a-thon or this Guinness attempt—her mother has been there, encouraging, praying, and celebrating. Her mother cooked beside her, hand steady on the spoon. Yes, the pot was heavy. Yes, there were tense moments when even steel seemed to bend under ambition. But the jollof was made. Thousands ate. Laughter rose. History was recorded in smoke and spice.
People underestimate what it took to plan, attempt, implement, and achieve this feat. It was not just gas and rice. It was mathematics, science, manpower, finances, emotional energy, psychological grit, physical labour, courage, and resilience rolled into one dream.
Some of Nigeria’s biggest names came too: Funke Akindele, Kaffy, Tomike Adeoye, Veekee James, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, Folagade Banks. Even Pastor Bolaji Idowu opened the day with prayers. And behind the dream, making sure it did not collapse under its own weight, stood GBfoods Nigeria / Gino. They did more than supply tomato paste and seasoning. They gave structure to an idea that could have remained impossible. They gave backbone to the vision, and their role must be applauded.
The lesson here is simple. People may see the spotlight on Hilda, but anyone who looks closely will see the dozens of hands that made this moment real. A dream of this size cannot be carried alone. It takes sweat. It takes sponsors. It takes prayers. It takes fans who stand under the sun for hours just to say, “We were there.”
What I also find fascinating is how it reflects Nigeria. We are a country of contradictions—so much struggle, yet so much creativity, so much chaos, yet so much community. Only in Nigeria can a pot of rice turn into a national movement.
For me, the story is not just about Hilda’s record. It is a mirror for anyone who has a dream sitting on their chest. It says, “Yes, the dream looks too big. But so did a six-meter pot.”
This event was more than Guinness certificates and bragging rights. It was a masterclass in vision and execution. Here are some key takeaways:
- Dreams stretch. Once you climb one mountain, you see another waiting. Hilda’s cook-a-thon in 2023 could have been the peak. Instead, it was just the beginning.
- Execution separates dreamers from doers. Vision plus action is what makes the headlines.
- Criticism is proof you are visible. Nobody drags the invisible.
- Culture connects. This pot is more than food. It is storytelling, and the world is watching.
- Action attracts support. The moment Hilda moved, brands, celebrities, and fans showed up.
As Temilade Salami once said: “Dream big, God can fund it.” Hilda’s journey proves that. The dream was huge, the planning was intense, the weight was almost impossible but it was done. The lesson is clear. People may laugh at your dream today. They may question it, mock it, drag it. But when you succeed, the same crowd will rush to take a picture with you.
So I’ll ask you the same question I asked myself watching that pot simmer: When it is your turn to attempt something the world will not forget, who will be in your corner? Who will hold the ladle with you?
If you were at the event on September 12, what moment stood out for you the most? If you watched online, what did you feel when you saw that massive pot? Share in the comments—I want to read your angle of this history.
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