Guinness World Record holder Hilda Bassey, popularly known as Hilda Baci, has announced that the giant pot used during her record-setting cooking marathon will neither be sold nor auctioned.
Speaking at a press briefing over the weekend at the Gino Nigeria office in Lagos, Hilda described the pot as more than just cookware, calling it a symbol of national and global significance.
“Oh, you may not have heard of it. Oh, trust me, so many people have asked about that pot. Some people want to buy it, they said we should auction it,” she told reporters.
Hilda emphasized that the pot represents history, faith, and innovation, highlighting the careful effort involved in its creation. “That (pot) is a symbol of a lot of beautiful things. It’s a symbol of history. It’s a symbol of faith. It’s a symbol of innovation. Because, trust me, the process of putting that pot together, you know, it’s a symbol of many things,” she said.
She added that the pot is intended to inspire future generations. “I think we agree that this is something that we want 10 years from now, 20 years from now, for people to still be able to see and point to. I think that was the biggest pot of jollof rice in Nigeria. In the world, not just Nigeria, because it’s been established for the first time. I mean, right now, I can tell you we’re definitely not going to auction it,” Hilda stressed.
The chef also revealed that the pot will be refurbished and displayed for public viewing. “We’re not going to sell it. We’re going to make sure that as many people as possible get to see it in its glory. And you’re probably going to ask me, are you going to keep it in that shape, no? We’re going to put it back in a form that it originally was. And, I don’t know, you’ll find it maybe on your way to work or in a museum somewhere,” Baci said.
