The name Hilda Baci keeps popping up on my timeline across all the social media pages all weekend and it got me curious to dig down to know who she is because the name does not sound familiar and this is the first time I’m getting to hear or know of her.
Well, for most of us who have been seeing the name since last weekend and as well wondering who she is like me or asking if she is another big brother Naija contestant; here is a brief info about her ;
Hilda Bassey Effiong popularly known as Hilda Baci is a Nigerian chef who has become a national sensation after cooking non-stop for more than 90 hours in an attempt to break the world record. Hilda Baci has used over 100 different dishes since she embarked on the world-breaking record at 3 pm last Thursday. Hilda Baci has currently broken the former record for longest cooking hours by an individual. She has cooked for over 96 hours and is still cooking, beating the old record of 87 hours, 45 minutes which was set by Chef Lata Tondo of India in 2019. The Nigerian chef has blown past this record of Chef Lata Tondo as at the time this article was written, having already cooked for 96 hours, wanting to cook extra four hours to set a new world record of cooking for 100 hours.
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From my further digging, I got to know that Hilda is no stranger to the Nigerian cooking scene. She regularly engages and participates in cooking contests on the Pop Central channel of the DSTV and has even won some of the contests. Hilda in 2021 also participated in the maiden edition of the Jollof Face-off Competition where she won the contest and bagged the contest grand prize of $5000.
Hilda hails from Akwa Ibom state, an oil-rich southern state in Nigeria but she is based in Lagos where she engaged in the cooking marathon which she called “Cookathon” in Amore Gardens, an open field in Lekki, Lagos.
She has enjoyed massive support from Nigerians from every walk of life. Renowned politicians, religious leaders, celebrities, social media influencers etc have all trooped to the Amore Garden where the event is taking place to show their support. Prof Yemi Osinbanjo, the current Vice President of Nigeria had also called her cell yesterday to congratulate her and to show her support and most importantly to encourage and cheer her on to the finish line.
Congratulations are in order for the queen chef.