Lagos’ first Cake Picnic, held on Saturday, ended in chaos, forcing organisers to apologise and admit faults in planning after scenes of disorder went viral on social media.
The event, modelled after the globally popular Cake Picnic founded by London-based UX designer Elisa Sunga, was expected to be a relaxed, communal sharing of cakes.
The only rule was simple “no cake, no entry.” In other countries, attendees arrive with cakes, set them on display tables, take turns to collect slices with provided utensils, and later return for seconds.
However, the Lagos edition quickly descended into a free-for-all. Videos circulating online showed guests shoving, grabbing and crushing cakes with their bare hands in a bid to hoard large portions.
Critics claimed organisers breached their own rule by admitting people who came without cakes in exchange for payment.
“Why did you receive money from those without cake? That’s greed. If it’s a cake picnic let it be that simple,” Instagram user Miz_Shona wrote.
Popular food critic, Opeyemi Famakin, who sparked interest in the event after posting about the London version but declined to organise the Nigerian edition, distanced himself from the fiasco.
“Other countries did theirs smoothly. When it got to Nigeria, you spoilt it. Is it Tinubu’s fault? The average Nigerian is a bad person,” he said in a video, adding that despite offers of about ₦20 million from brands, he refused to lead the event because “money is not my driving force.”
Some Nigerians linked the chaos to a “scarcity mindset,” arguing that many felt the need to grab more than they needed.
Instagram user grilledttt.bymaamah wrote, “The average Nigerian struggles to process abundance… our first instinct is to grab plenty and hoard more than we need.”
In an Instagram post, the organisers admitted shortcomings and promised improvements. “Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. We take full responsibility for the shortcomings in planning and organisation, and we sincerely apologise. We promise to learn from this and do better next time,” they wrote.
While Abuja’s earlier edition with a smaller crowd reflected Sunga’s original vision, the Lagos debut meant to be a festive, orderly event left many disappointed.
