NIGERIAN chef Hilda Baci’s much-anticipated World Jollof Festival will be held at the Eko Hotel, GINO, the brand behind the event announced on Thursday, September 11.
In a statement, the company confirmed that the festival would take place at the hotel’s car park B on Friday, September 12, instead of Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, earlier announced for the event. The festival is free for all attendees at the new venue, also located on Victoria Island.
According to the organisers, the new venue provides a larger and more prestigious stage to accommodate the overwhelming number of guests who have already registered. With capacity for thousands, it is expected to host one of Nigeria’s most memorable cultural and culinary celebrations.
Beyond the Guinness World Record (GWR) attempt, the festival will feature food exhibitions, cultural displays, live entertainment, and immersive experiences aimed at celebrating jollof rice as a symbol of identity, resilience, and community.
Oreoluwa Atinmo, Marketing Director of GBfoods Nigeria, said the decision to change the venue was driven by the need to host the event safely and comfortably.
“To accommodate this event safely and comfortably, we have moved the event to Eko Hotel Car Park B, a venue that truly reflects the scale and ambition of what we are about to achieve,” she said
“This world record attempt is a celebration of jollof, and it deserves a space that allows more people to share in the experience, enjoy the culture, and be part of an unforgettable moment in our history.”
Baci, who is at the centre of the festival, expressed excitement about the event, saying the new venue would make the celebration “bigger, bolder, and more unifying.”
She added: “The outpouring of love and support since we announced the attempt has been mind-blowing, with thousands already registered to be part of this historic celebration,” Hilda said.
“Jollof represents who we are, our culture, our togetherness, and our shared pride. With Gino, I am excited to make history, and I invite everyone to come, celebrate with us, and witness this feat of passion, food, and heritage.”
As of Thursday, the organisers said over 20,000 participants had registered for the event.
Background
Baci first announced the endeavour on Instagram in August, disclosing that it would require a colossal pot measuring six metres in both width and height.
She disclosed plans to cook 250 bags of rice using a specially designed pot with a capacity of 22,619 litres, expected to be filled up to 80 per cent.
She explained that the record-breaking jollof would required ingredients such as garlic, ginger, fresh thyme, rosemary, curry, and other spices. The pot itself, measuring six metres in width, 1.1 metres in height, and 1.3 metres in depth, had already caved in under its weight during preparations.
In June 2023, Hilda was recognised by GWR as the holder of the longest individual cooking marathon after cooking for over 100 hours, surpassing the previous record of 87 hours and 45 minutes set by Indian chef Lata Tondon in 2019.
However, her reign was short-lived as Irish chef Alan Fisher later surpassed her feat, cooking for 119 hours and 57 minutes.
Now, with the World Jollof Festival, Hilda aims to reclaim global recognition while bringing Nigerians together in a historic celebration of food and culture.