Popular Nigerian chef, Hilda Baci, has broken her silence after being called out by a brand for denying her involvement in a meet and greet event, despite being paid N3m for a guest appearance.
The event company, Vibe By Ann, took to social media to counter Hilda’s claims and threatened legal action against her after she denied her participation in a pre-planned meet-and-greet scheduled to take place in the Federal Capital Territory on June 24, 2023.
The chef, who rose to stardom after breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking time by an individual, faced backlash when an e-flyer promoting a N25,000 meet and greet event with her started circulating online a few days ago.
However, Hilda took to Twitter amidst the backlash to deny any involvement with the event, emphasizing that she would never charge for a meet and greet.
In a statement, Vibe By Ann countered her claims, stating that the chef was aware of the event and was paid N3 million for her appearance.
“Arrangements for this event were already concluded, as both parties agreed to publish information about the event after an advanced payment was made to Miss Hilda Bassey. However, Hilda Bassey suddenly denied publicly having any prior knowledge of the event. Her conduct has negatively affected our reputation as a brand. Consequently, we are taking all necessary legal steps towards resolution.” The statement read in part.
In response, Hilda, who admitted to receiving N3M for the guest appearance, explained that the brand hadn’t been completely transparent about the nature of the event and had posted the flyers without her approval.
According to Hilda, even before the event gained attention online, when she saw the flyer, she realized that it didn’t align with her brand values, as she would never charge for a meet and greet. So, she refunded the N3M she was paid and withdrew from the event.
She noted that they were still in conversation about the event when the brand posted the flyer online, despite her disagreement with it.
She explained that all along, she thought the event was a free gathering organized for her Abuja fans, as the company had initially made her believe.
Upon seeing the flyer requesting people to pay N25,000 to see her, she made it clear that it didn’t align with her brand, leading her to back out.
She also mentioned that she has since refunded the N3 million and intends to take legal action against the brand.
Watch her speak below,
