The last time we heard from Damilola Adeparusi, AKA Chef Dami, she was preparing for a 150-hour cook-a-thon to break the Guinness World Record (GWR) set by Hilda Baci.
The self-styled chef who has kept a low profile over the last few months is now in the news again after falling out with her pastor and spiritual guardian, Billion Dollars Prophet.
Here’s all we know about the situation which has taken a legal turn.
What happened?
On Thursday, October 19, Chef Dami shared an Instagram post, alleging that she’s been living in constant fear for her life since her cook-a-thon attempt.
Referring to her church members as “people of God”, Chef Dami claimed that they’ve repeatedly cursed, bullied and threatened her.
She wrote:
“‘By the time we are done with you, you will not be able to stand on your feet again.
‘This was from the acclaimed ‘people of God’. Among many of the countless insults, curses, threats and bullying.
‘Now, I understand the content of 1 Peter 4:17, Surely judgment will begin from the house of God.’”
In the post, she also claimed that her pastor and spiritual guardian, Adegoke Jeremiah AKA Billion Dollars Prophet of the Spirit World Global Mission, told her to “prepare for war”.
Hours after her call for help, Chef Dami shared a different post on her Insta Story channel where she raised an alarm and told the world to hold her pastor responsible if any harm comes to her.
A brief history of their relationship
On June 9, 2023, barely three weeks after Hilda Baci completed her Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest cooking marathon title, Chef Dami made her first Instagram post announcing her attempt to cook for 120 hours.
The announcement photo featured a prominent logo of her church, Spirit World Global Mission as official sponsor.
While people bashed Chef Dami and the religious institution for attempting to outshine Baci, that was not the church’s first cook-a-thon.
During a virtual interview, Chef Dami stated that she only embarked on the cook-a-thon after she was chosen by her “church people”. Her pastor, Adegoke Jeremiah, who also spoke during the interview revealed that the church had initially organised a 40-hour cooking competition where Dami and some other members emerged as finalists.
The success of the 40-hour stint encouraged the church to attempt an even bigger cook-a-thon considering the buzz and success of Baci’s attempt. The church set a goal for a new 120-hour cook-a-thon and unanimously chose Chef Dami to do the cooking.
“She just had everything we thought we’d need for anyone that will go that far, for 120 hours. It was not easy but we knew she had what it takes,” Jeremiah said during the interview.
While Chef Dami busied herself in the makeshift kitchen, other members of the church rallied support for her on social media.
After the cook-a-thon, Chef Dami and Pastor Jeremiah made several public appearances and she attributed the entire success to him during most of her interviews.
Church members take sides
Shortly after Chef Dami’s recent call-out, WhatsApp screenshots purportedly belonging to members of the church surfaced on social media.
In the screenshots, members lashed out at Chef Dami and called her an ingrate.
A member of the church also accused Chef Dami of spewing lies against the pastor and charged her to provide evidence to back her claims.
“All she is saying are lies, let her provide evidence for claims! I have evidence for everything I am saying.”
A legal turn
Pastor Jeremiah responded to the allegations of threat to life by Chef Dami with a ₦20 million defamation suit.
In a court letter dated October 23, 2023, and signed by his lawyers, Bisayo Sule & Co Legal Practitioners, Pastor Jeremiah demanded a retraction of the defamatory statement on social media, publication on two widely read national dailies, and a payment of ₦20 million in damages.
“In view of the incalculable damage you have done to the good reputation of our client, we demand a retraction of the libelous statement on all the social media particularly your Instagram page, and two (2) widely read national dailies.
“Additionally, we are demanding a sum of (Twenty Million Naira Only).
“₦20,000,000:00 being damages for the act of defamation against our client.
Chef Dami was given a seven-day ultimatum.
Has Chef Dami responded?
At the time of writing this report, there’s been no response from Chef Dami to the lawsuit.
This is a developing story.
You’ll have your fill of grilled, peppered or fried meat and many more at Zikoko’s meat festival on November 11. Have you bought your Burning Ram ticket? You can do that real quick here.
