Hilda Baci’s mother has revealed that prayer, fasting, and divine intervention were central to her daughter’s latest Guinness World Record triumph for preparing the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice.
The milestone dish, weighing 8,780 kg (19,356 lb 9 oz), was unveiled during a much-anticipated event at Eko Hotel, drawing huge attention.
Speaking virtually during Pastor Jerry Eze’s NSPPD morning prayer service on Tuesday, Baci’s mother recounted how both she and her daughter turned to God in preparation for the challenge.
“She told me, ‘Mommy, we have to fast all through this week.’ I joined NSPPD every morning, prayed through the night, and placed the event before God,” she recalled. Her biggest prayer, she added, was that the event would not turn into shame.
She admitted to being overwhelmed when her daughter explained the plan to cook with 250 bags of rice in a pot measuring six metres wide. “When I saw the pot, I was afraid. It was like my office. Even the cover had to be lifted by cranes,” she said.
Eventually, the feat was accomplished with 200 bags of rice, 20 goats, 30 gallons of oil, tomato paste, and seasonings, with thousands of supporters present to witness the historic moment.
Baci’s mother explained that they also prayed fervently against potential accidents, including the possibility of the giant pot leaking. “That would have turned joy into disaster. But God did it,” she said, insisting that the outcome was evidence of God’s mercy.
Quoting a popular phrase from the NSPPD altar, she added: “What God cannot do does not exist.” She went further: “When I saw the crowd, I just said, what God cannot do does not exist. Father, no one will collapse here, no death, no accident, no evil report. And that was how it ended, everything in praise.”
In gratitude, she expressed amazement at the achievement: “Guinness has called us. My daughter has broken the record twice. Two-time record holder. Who is Hilda? Who is Hilda’s father? Who is Hilda’s mother? What is our family name? For us to pull such a crowd, it can only be God.”
On Monday, Guinness World Records confirmed the feat, announcing: “New record: Largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice – 8,780 kg (19,356 lb 9 oz) achieved by Hilda Baci and Gino in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.”
Celebrating on social media, Baci herself wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “We have done it again #nigeria #hildabaci.”
The chef, who gained international attention with her Guinness cook-a-thon attempt in 2023, now holds two world records, solidifying her status as one of Nigeria’s leading culinary figures.
