Lagos’ debut edition of the globally popular Cake Picnic descended into chaos on Saturday, as participants abandoned decorum, shoving, grabbing, and crushing cakes in scenes now trending online.
Founded by London-based UX designer Elisa Sunga, the Cake Picnic is an annual event where guests bring cakes, lay out blankets, and share slices in an orderly manner. The sole rule — no cake, no entry — is strictly enforced in cities like London and New York, where the festival has been calm and festive.
In Lagos, however, the event only followed the original script up to the point of arranging cakes on tables. Viral videos from TikTok user @naya_berry show attendees scrambling for large portions, ignoring utensils, and hoarding desserts. Critics accused organisers of breaching the entry rule by accepting payment from guests without cakes.
Popular food critic Opeyemi Famakin, who inspired interest in the Nigerian edition but refused to organise it, distanced himself from the fiasco, blaming poor planning. “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.
Some Nigerians linked the frenzy to a “scarcity mindset,” arguing that fear of shortage led people to hoard. The organisers have since apologised on Instagram, admitting “shortcomings in planning” and promising to “do better next time.”
Sunga, who recently hosted the seventh London edition with 463 cakes and over 30,000 sign-ups worldwide, had originally envisioned the picnic as a small circle of friends introducing themselves and their cakes — a vision far removed from Lagos’ rowdy debut.
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