What was billed as a serene, Instagram-worthy cake-sharing afternoon in Lagos spiralled into a messy cautionary tale about public events.
The open-air picnic, hosted on Saturday at Muri Okunola Park by local baking collective Sweet Gatherings Lagos, promised free entry and unlimited cake samples. But mobile phone footage, now trending on TikTok and X, shows queues dissolving into a crush as attendees surged towards the cake tables. Within minutes, some tore chunks directly from tiered cakes with their bare hands, while others clutched frosting-smeared pieces in napkins—or with no covering at all.
Event-goer Adaeze Akinyemi recalled: 'It started civilised, but once they announced the cake was ready, people just rushed forward. There were no servers, no plates—just hands everywhere.'
@beeplebeepybeep Cake picnic Lagos, Nigeria #cakepicniclagos #cake #picnic #placesinlagos #eventsinlagos #lagos #cakepicnic @cakefestivalpicniclagos
♬ original sound - debs 🪻
From Picture-Perfect to Pandemonium
Modelled on elegant overseas cake picnics where guests bring their bakes, share slices on picnic blankets, and serve with grace, the Lagos event was intended as a community-driven dessert experience. Instead, viral clips show well-dressed adults abandoning plates and utensils altogether, transforming the scene into a frenzied scramble rather than a tranquil, sugar-laden social occasion.
TikTok user @beeplebeepybeep's footage captures guests swarming the tables as organisers fail to regain control. The resulting scenes look more like a scrum than a serene sugar soiree.
Social Media Backlash
Clips of the chaotic buffet have been viewed more than 3 million times across platforms, sparking a wave of criticism from Nigerians and viewers abroad.
On TikTok, one top-liked comment read: 'Mind you, these are adults!' — a phrase that has since become shorthand for the incident across social feeds. Another user on X posted: 'This isn't just about cake, it's about respect. No decorum whatsoever.'
By Sunday morning, #CakePicnicLagos was trending, with many calling the scenes "embarrassing" and "unhygienic". One Twitter user wrote: 'It's 2025 and people are still eating with their bare hands in a public food-sharing event. Come on.'
I read the statement from the lagos cake picnic before watching a video about what happened and...😭😭😭😭😭😫
— Ronke Lawal (@ronkelawal) August 10, 2025
All that chaos and mayhem because of cake????! pic.twitter.com/xMqV1ZVCOo
Organisers Under Fire
Sweet Gatherings Lagos, the group behind the picnic, had promoted the event for weeks, promising 'a celebration of sweetness and community'. However, according to witnesses, there appeared to be little preparation for crowd control or crowd management.
When reached for comment, a spokesperson for the Lagos State Ministry of Health told The Guardian Nigeria that while the city did not officially sanction the gathering, 'basic hygiene protocols should always be followed when food is served to the public'. They added that the Ministry was 'monitoring reports' and 'may issue further guidelines for similar events'.
The collective's Instagram account has since limited comments on its recent posts. No official statement had been issued by press time, despite repeated requests for comment from local media outlets, including Pulse Nigeria and Vanguard.
A Missed Opportunity
Many social media users lamented that the incident overshadowed the good intentions behind the gathering. Lagos-based food blogger @TayoEats, speaking to Naija Foodie Network, said: 'Events like this could be a great way to showcase local bakers, but now everyone will remember the mess, not the cakes.'
Some suggested that the organisers take notes from Lagos food festivals that use wristbands, tokens, and strict server-only portions to manage crowds. 'You can't just put cake in front of a hundred people and expect them to wait,' another user tweeted politely.
Whether Sweet Gatherings Lagos will risk hosting another picnic remains uncertain, but the viral fallout shows no signs of cooling—much like the frosting on those ill-fated cakes.
