The Story of Hilda Baci as Told by One of Her Classmates in Secondary School who Knew Her as a Teenager
Legit.ng spoke to Hilda Baci's classmate at Federal Government Girls College, Abaji, Abuja, where she completed her secondary education
A classmate of Hilda Baci at Federal Government Girls College, Abuja has revealed what the world renowned Chef was like as a secondary school student.
The lady who said that Chef Hilda Baci was her classmate for three years from SS1 to SS3 also indicated that everybody knew her in class.
She told Legit.ng:
"Hilda was very friendly and jovial, always willing to help others."
Guinness world record holder
Hilda Effiong Bassey, better known as Hilda Baci is a Nigerian chef who made history by breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon (individual) in May 2023.
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She cooked for 93 hours and 11 minutes, surpassing the previous record of 87 hours and 45 minutes set by Indian chef Lata Tondon in 2019.
Source: Twitter
Hilda Baci’s record attempt attracted millions of viewers worldwide who followed her progress on social media and other platforms.
Hilda Baci’s achievement was not only a personal milestone but also a national pride.
She loves to help people
She received congratulations from many Nigerians who celebrated her feat.
One of them was her former classmate from Federal Government Girls College, Abaji, Abuja, where she attended from SS1 to SS3.
Her classmate described Hilda Baci as very friendly and jovial, always willing to help others.
She said Hilda Baci was playful but not unserious, vocal but not rude, and social but not distracted.
Her favourite teacher
Hilda Baci’s favorite teacher was Mrs. Ahmadu, who taught English and Literature in English, the lady said. She also disclosed that Hilda Baci’s favorite subjects were Mathematics and Literature in English.
Subject captain
Her classmate recalled that Hilda Baci was also the government subject class captain in SS1 and a member of Drug Free Club where she was Treasurer.
One of her nicknames in secondary school was Hilly B.
Career as TV presenter
As a young student, Hilda Baci wanted to become a TV presenter and indicated singing and cooking as her hobbies.
Her three role models in secondary school were Wole Soyinka, Ben Carson, and her brother.
Hilda Baci also indicated that she wanted to establish an Asthmatic Foundation in the future to help people combat it.
The journey to world record
Baci’s culinary talent was not only appreciated by many young Nigerians, but also by her teachers and mentors.
One of them was Mrs. Lynda Ndukwe, her mother and a professional chef herself. Ndukwe inspired Baci to pursue her dream of becoming a chef and restaurateur.
Baci graduated with a degree in sociology from Madonna University in Rivers State, but she never gave up on her passion for food.
Jollof Face off 2021
She opened a restaurant in Lagos called My Food by Hilda, where she serves a variety of dishes, mostly Nigerian cuisine.
She also participated in several cooking competitions, such as the Jollof Faceoff in 2021, where she beat a Ghanaian rival to claim the crown for the best version of West Africa’s spicy rice dish.
But Baci’s biggest challenge came in May 2023, when she decided to attempt the world record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.
The record was previously held by Indian chef Lata Tondon, who cooked for 87 hours and 45 minutes in 2019. Baci aimed to surpass that mark by cooking for 100 hours non-stop.
She started her record attempt on Thursday, May 11th at 3 p.m., and cooked over 100 different dishes until Monday, May 15th at 3 p.m., when she reached her goal.
However, she did not stop there. She continued cooking until Tuesday, May 16th at 7:11 a.m., when she finally ended her marathon with a total time of 100 hours and 11 minutes.
During her feat, she was supported by a large crowd of fans, friends, family members, celebrities and politicians who visited her at the venue in Lekki, Lagos.
She also received phone calls from Nigeria’s Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who congratulated her on her achievement.
Baci’s record attempt was monitored by CCTV cameras and verified by Guinness World Records after reviewing the evidence.
She became the first African and the first woman to hold the record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.
Baci said she was motivated by her love for cooking and her desire to inspire young people to pursue their dreams.
Thrilled beyond measure
Her classmate considered the chef's achievement as personal. She said she was proud of her.
In her words:
“I was really happy for her and proud of her growth over the years. And thrilled that someone I know could come this far and become a world record holder.”
Hilda Baci is indeed an inspiration to many young Africans who aspire to achieve their dreams.
She has shown that with passion, dedication, and hard work, anything is possible.
Hilda Baci: 6 benefits the Nigerian chef May enjoy as Guinness World Record holder
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Hilda Baci is currently the Guinness World Record holder for the longest cooking marathon by an individual, with a time of 93 hours and 11 minutes as confirmed on Monday.
She cooked more than 100 pots of food during her four-day stint in the kitchen, mostly Nigerian dishes such as jollof rice and akara.
Find the are six benefits she might enjoy as a world record holder here.
Source: Legit.ng
