Hilda Baci’s Cook-a-thon: Potentials for Nigerian culture and tourism

By Kingsley Odii

Hilda Effiong Bassey, a Nigerian chef, popularly known as Hilda Baci broke the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking stretch by an individual, in Lekki phase 1 on May 15^th, 2023.The chef squashed the 87 hours 45 minutes record set by Guinness World title holder, Lata Tandon.

The cooking exercise tagged; Hilda Baci Cook-a-thon rocked and reverberated the world, as fans and admirers rallied around her both offline and online, encouraging and cheering her on. Distinguished personages and influencers also showed up at the scene of the event to register their support. Hilda Baci’s Cook-a-thon was nothing short of a global conflagration.

It is unarguable that the Cook-a-thon has brought her to limelight through breaking the Guinness World Record of the longest cooking time by an individual. In fact, she did a hundred-hour cooking marathon, surpassing the previous record owner who did 87 hours 45 minutes in 2019 by 12 hours. Her feat has also strategically impacted on Nigeria as a national brand attracting to her, greater attention and positive awareness. This heightened visibility can be leveraged and harnessed for national prosperity. The opportunities accompanying Hilda Baci’s feat cannot be overemphasized. It offers us ample opportunity and gives us the platform as a nation for promoting culture and tourism thereby optimizing our GDP.

This sentiment is succinctly captured by President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement celebrating the 27-year-old chef, who made history by joining the growing number of Nigerians in the Guinness Book of Records, and placing Nigeria’s on the global spotlight again. In the statement, President Buhari lauded the young culinary expert for turning her talent and passion into a career, with potential rippling effect on the economy as she runs a restaurant in Lagos, and trains other talents on entrepreneurship, and now leads the world in resilience, perseverance, and consistency in cooking.

President Buhari expressed the belief that Hilda Baci’s drive and ambition has brought more interest and insight into the uniqueness of Nigerian food, as another cultural icon, with huge tourism benefits, hoping more young people will follow in her footsteps.

Moreso, Israel Oladipupo, the Chief Marketing Officer, Canary Point Corporate Services, is of the opinion that culture and tourism is one niche that has long been forgotten in Nigeria as a global export in an intentional manner.

“In more recent times, music has been what we have used to export our culture as a people on the global stage. Hilda’s Cook-a-thon is an opportunity to put Nigeria on the global stage from our food to our lifestyle and talents in the country. Her story is an inpsirtation and indicator to the degree of resilience that Nigerians have, standing, cooking different meals and showcasing our music in the process etc are some of the things we have seen in this period.

He went ahead to establish that at this point, there is a need for a collective approach in intentionally driving this incredible action on the global stage whilst showcasing our culture in the process. He advised that the private sector needs to support Hilda and others like her. He added that the media needs to tell this story in the best possible angles and the government should not just pay lip service but act in the right direction, a national honour would encourage others about Hilda’s feat.

Commenting on the marketing and economic import of Baci’s Cook-a-thon, Ayoola Ogunyomi, Head, Media and Marketing, Patricia Technologie, a blockchain and digital currency firm remarked:

“The sheer volume and quality of content surrounding Hilda Bassey’s Cook-a-thon is astounding. From captivating videos documenting her culinary prowess to engaging social media posts, the content generated by this event is a goldmine for brands seeking exposure. Such contents offer immense potentials for various marketing initiatives, including social media campaigns, influencer partnerships, and branded content collaborations.

He added that “the authenticity and relatability of the content associated with Hilda Bassey’s Cook-a-thon cannot be overstated. Every piece of content reflects her passion, creativity, and expertise, resonating deeply with her audience. The organic nature of the content lends itself seamlessly to brand integration, allowing companies to align their values and messaging with Hilda’s unique brand persona.

Ayoola also said: “the magnitude of attention surrounding Hilda Bassey’s feat is staggering. With billions of impressions, widespread reach, and exceptional engagement across multiple platforms, this event presents an unprecedented opportunity for brands to tap into an enthusiastic and captivated audience. The potential for brand exposure and visibility is unparalleled, promising a significant return on investment for those who seize the moment.”