Nigerian chef, Hilda Effiong Bassey, popularly known as Hilda Baci, is set to break the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.
She achieved this feat after surpassing the 87 hours, 45 minutes record set by India’s Lata Tondon in 2019.
Hilda, who started the competition on Thursday at exactly 4pm when she put on her cooker, will keep cooking to extend the record targeting at least 96 hours.
The event, which is taking place at Amore Gardens in Lekki, Lagos, is being live-streamed on YouTube.
Several prominent politicians and celebrities as well as Nigerians have shown her support.
It was reported by the BBC that the Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was at the venue on Sunday, and she also received a call from Nigeria’s Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
“We are proud to have Hilda embarking on this journey in our state. I will continue to follow the updates and look forward to the final declaration,” Mr Sanwo-Olu said.
Baci has been part of some competitive events in the past.In 2021 she defeated other contestants at the maiden edition of the “Jollof Faceoff”, including a Ghanaian rival in the final, to claim the crown for the best version of West Africa’s fiercely contested spicy rice meal.
Baci said her passion for cooking was inspired by her mother’s culinary techniques and that her recipes were homemade.
