<p>This research analyzes Hilda Baci’s 2025 Guinness World Record for the largest serving of Nigerian Jollof Rice, highlighting its intersection with popular culture and food-mediated (re)memory. Using Benedict Anderson’s imagined communities, the study critiques the September 12 event, which drew over 20,000 attendees, exploring how this communal experience links people, food, and political memory as a performative ritual. Through the use of memes and posts from social media platforms like X and Facebook, it reflects on the shared experiences that forge socio-political connections, positioning the food as a collective triumph but also as a symbol of national unity amidst Nigeria’s economic challenges. The event transcends mere record breaking, offering insights into Nigerian identity through participatory feasting, echoing the “Nigerian vs Ghana” Jollof wars. It also addresses food and pop culture as a (re)memorial of economic scarcity, uniting urban, rural, and diaspora audiences in a shared moment of national pride. The research further analyzes arguments from netizens who posit that the event is a populist distraction from the structural reforms that is needed for national, inclusive growth. This study posits food as a powerful political memory, where popular culture attempts to mend economic divides and builds a shared sense of national unity and accomplishment, strong enough to withstand the harsh socio-economic realities.</p>