Popular Nigerian chef and restaurateur, Hilda Baci, has opened up on the tense moment her custom-made giant pot collapsed during her Guinness World Record attempt for the largest pot of jollof rice.

Speaking in a video shared on 𝕏 by HipTV, Hilda admitted that she was terrified when the pot gave way, saying her “heart was in her hands” at that moment.

“When we had the mishap with the pot, my first few seconds, my heart was in my hands. I was very scared, very worried,” she confessed.

The incident happened on September 12 at the World Jollof Festival in Lagos, where Hilda and her team prepared over 8,780 kilograms of jollof rice in a massive pot measuring six meters wide and tall, with a capacity of 23,000 litres.

As a crane attempted to lift the pot for weighing, its supporting legs buckled, leaving spectators in shock. Fortunately, the food remained intact.

Interestingly, Hilda described the collapse as a blessing in disguise because it made serving the food easier.

“For me, the record was not the most important thing. It was important that people got to taste and enjoy the food we had spent hours making. I would say it was a good thing that the pot caved because it made food distribution a lot easier,” she said.

Guinness World Records later confirmed her as the official record-holder, after her team submitted video and photographic evidence of the weighing process.

Reflecting on her second Guinness World Record win, Hilda said it was proof of God’s grace in her life.

“It’s just a testament that God is good and I’m a child of grace. When I tell you grace is here and you doubt me, look at my track record. Trust the Lord.”