By Ghazali Ibrahim
The much-anticipated Gino World Jollof Festival took an unexpected turn on Friday night when the giant pot meant to secure a Guinness World Record for the largest serving of jollof rice collapsed during weighing.
The festival, staged at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, was headlined by celebrity chef Hilda Baci, who shot to global fame in 2023 after breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon.
Thousands thronged the venue to witness what was billed as another culinary milestone, with Nollywood star Funke Akindele and rapper Falz among those spotted in attendance.
Organisers had unveiled a six-metre-high, six-metre-wide custom-built pot, initially designed to hold more than 22,000 litres of rice.
But in a late adjustment, Baci announced the target would be scaled back to about 4,000 kilogrammes (200 bags of rice) for practical reasons.
The drama unfolded when a crane attempted to hoist the massive pot onto a weighing scale for official verification.
Under immense pressure, the structure buckled and collapsed, prompting gasps and a brief panic among the crowd.
Fortunately, no one was injured, though the setback forced organisers to suspend the record attempt on the spot.
Clips of the dramatic moment quickly surfaced online, triggering a flood of reactions ranging from disappointment to messages of encouragement.
Many fans hailed Baci’s daring effort, praising her for once again bringing global attention to Nigerian cuisine.
A member of Baci’s team later reassured the public that safety remained the top priority, adding that consultations with Guinness World Records officials were underway to determine the next course of action.
While the collapse has left the fate of the official attempt in limbo, the event underscored Hilda Baci’s enduring influence and ability to turn food into a nationwide spectacle.
