Hilda Effiong Bassey, popularly known as Hilda Baci, is a Nigerian chef who holds the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon. She is also a successful entrepreneur, author, and media personality. But behind her achievements lies a painful story of her father's rejection and how it changed her life.
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| Hilda Baci reconcile with father. Photo credits: @hildabaci Source: legit.ng |
In an emotional interview with the Tea with Tay podcast, Hilda Baci opened up about her strained relationship with her father, Effiong Bassey Edem, who abandoned her and her siblings when she was a young girl. She said that her father was a loving and supportive man who was very involved in their lives until he had a fallout with their mother over some issues.
Hilda Baci said that she was shocked and devastated when her father suddenly left them and cut off all contact. She said that she tried to reach out to him several times, but he refused to acknowledge her as his daughter. She recalled one incident when she called him to ask for some money for her school fees, and he coldly asked her, "Who is your dad?" She said that she felt like her world had collapsed.
Hilda Baci said that she hoped that her parents would reconcile and that her father would come back to them, but that never happened. She said that she had to grow up fast and take care of herself and her siblings. She said that she turned to cooking as a way of coping with her pain and finding joy in life.
Hilda Baci said that her father's rejection motivated her to pursue her passion for cooking and to prove him wrong. She said that she wanted to show him what he was missing out on and what she was capable of. She said that she organized the Guinness World Record cook-a-thon in 2022, where she cooked for 68 hours non-stop, as a personal challenge and a tribute to her mother, who taught her how to cook.
Hilda Baci said that she has forgiven her father for what he did, but she has not forgotten. She said that she still loves him and wishes him well, but she does not need his approval or validation. She said that she is proud of who she is and what she has achieved. She said that she hopes that her story will inspire others who have gone through similar experiences to overcome their challenges and follow their dreams.
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