Nigeria: Photoshopped Image Claims Nigerian Chef Officially Declared Guinness World Record Holder for Cooking Marathon

23 May 2023
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Oluseyi Awojulugbe

IN SHORT: Several posts have claimed that chef Hilda Bassey, popularly known as Hilda Baci, has set a new cooking record. However, the image used as evidence is photoshopped - her attempt is yet to be verified.

A post circulating on Facebook claims that Nigerian chef Hilda Bassey has been officially declared a Guinness World Record holder.

The post, which has been shared on pages and groups on Facebook, includes an image of Bassey holding what looks like a Guinness World Records certificate.

Bassey, popularly known as Hilda Baci, completed a "cook-a-ton" in May 2023 in an attempt to break the world record for the longest cooking marathon.

"It is now official. Baci officially declared Guinness World Record Holder," says one of the posts.

"Hilda Baci receives her certificate as the longest-standing world cooking personality from the Guinness World Records," another post claims.

The image has also been shared in posts on other pages such as here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Guinness still reviewing Bassey's world record attempt

At the time of Bassey's attempt, the world record for the longest cooking marathon was held by Indian chef Lata Tondon who cooked for 87 hours and 45 minutes in 2019.

Bassey's cooking marathon ran for over 100 hours from Thursday 11 to Monday 14 May 2023.

However, the 27-year-old's record attempt had not been officially certified when the social media posts started circulating.

In a statement published on its website on 16 May, Guinness World Records said its records team hoped to verify Bassey's efforts soon.

"We are aware of the record attempt and are looking forward to receiving the evidence for our Records Management Team to review, before we can confirm the record is official," the statement quoted a spokesperson as saying.

A TinEye search showed that the image was similar to stock photos uploaded to the internet as early as April 2020. A Google image search also revealed that the image had been uploaded to Twitter by a Photoshop artist.

The image of Bassey with a Guiness World Records certificate, circulating online, has been digitally manipulated.

Read the original story, with links and other resources.
Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

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