This is interesting, you’re kind of proving yourself wrong. If “The most popular way to pronounce a word wins”, as you say, then why are you and others still so ardently supportive of one pronunciation(deemed correct by the inventor) or the other(deemed incorrect by the inventor)? Seems like if you had won, there wouldn’t be any debate.
It just sounds like you’re making the case that coba-bola should be the new name for Coca-Cola. That can definitely be your name for it, and you can try to convince as many people as you want of a name that you prefer. But it doesn’t change the original and correct name of that beverage.
Sure, follow the majority. While majority rule often turns out to be incorrect and it doesn’t seem like the right way for me to make decisions or judgments, it’s certainly your prerogative to pronounced jif the same way many other people do.
For you, a hard g is more popular and comfortable, and that’s great. Doesn’t make it correct, but it’s still great.