Chef Failatu Abdul-Razak has revealed that she used to aspire to be like embattled socialite, Mona Faiz Montrage well known as Hajia4Reall.
According to her, Hajia4Reall sometime ago was embarking on a project to donate to the poor and needy in the Northern Region which inspired her so much to the extent that she wanted to be like her one day.
She stated that she is proud of Hajia4Reall’s rise to stardom in Ghana as she hails from the Northern Region because it is difficult for people in that jurisdiction to do so.
“In the Northern Region life was very difficult so we were happy when she rose to prominence in the country. I think last two years she came around to the North to donate to the orphanage and encourage people, so I was very inspired,” Chef Failatu said.
“Even though I was selling rice by then, I was praying that in the future I would be like Hajia4Reall. Not in the sense of her lifestyle but the wealth she had to make an impact,” she further stated.
Chef Faila defended Hajia4Reall’s parents, adding that they cannot be blamed for the wrongdoing of the musician.
“I know it’s not easy for their parents at this moment. I believe after 30 years everyone has the right to choose for themselves and no one can blame parents for their child’s wrongdoing,” she noted.
Hajia4Reall pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to receive stolen money. She faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
She also agreed to pay a penalty of $2,164,758.41 and make compensation in the same amount.
She is set to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty at a yet-to-be-determined date, it remains to be seen if she would be given the maximum five-year sentence.
Chef Faila Replies Critics
Chef Failatu defended her decision to serve garnished toads as part of her dishes during her Cook-A-Thon journey in January.
She lamented the mockery and criticism she faced from some people after the Cook-A-Thon, where she cooked for 227 hours non-stop, surpassing the current record of 119 hours and 57 minutes held by Irish Chef Alan Fisher.
The chef noted that some people made fun of her for garnishing toads but she said she did not see anything wrong with eating toads as they are part of the indigenous foods of some cultures in Ghana and that people should respect and accept the diversity of culinary preferences.
“At a point after the Cook-A-Thon, people were making a mockery of me because I garnished toads. People eat meats like pork, snakes, and dogs, and nobody complains. Why is it a problem if someone eats frogs?” Faila quizzed.
“You see, we must try to accept people and their indigenous lifestyles. We are trying to protect Ghana, eat Ghana, where Ghana eats Ghana. It boils down to the fact that let us respect people devoid of their cultural foods. We don’t even call it a frog. Call it a toad! It gives a little bit of respect,” she fumed.
She also disclosed that she ate the toads herself before serving them to the public, stating that they were delicious. She pointed out that other countries such as China, also consume toads and other exotic animals.
“The Chinese garnish toads and eat. Yet when you get the opportunity to go to China to learn, you are happy. But they protect their indigenous cultures, foods, and other things that attract tourists to their country,” she said.
Chef Faila announced that her attempt to break her attempt to break the world record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual failed.
In a statement released, she noted that she failed to meet the guidelines set by Guinness World Records, adding that she was proud of her effort and would continue to pursue her culinary dreams.
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