How is it possible for anybody to design a birthday cake portraying the full and true picture of as giant and elegant as a palace of an elegant and unique King of, say Ebira land? Even Mrs. Nimatullahi Oyiza Salihu, who designed it for King Dr. Ado Ibrahim (CON), the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, who celebrated his 93rd birthday with pump and pageantry on February 7, 2022 admitted that she surprised herself: she thought she could not do it when a prominent title holder, His Highness, the Talba of Ebira land, Alhaji Hamza Usman approached her to do it.
In this short interview she granted ebirareporters.com, Nimatullahi narrated how it all happened:
Q: May we know you?
Ans: Sure, I am by name Salihu Nimatullahi Oyiza (Mrs). I am the Creative Director of Cakes and Chills. I am a a final year undergraduate at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State. I’m studying Chemical Engineering. I am Ebira by tribe and from Adavi Local Government Area of Okene, Kogi State.
Q: How long have you been in the baking business?
Ans: Professionally, I have been in this baking business for just over two years.
Q: the Royal Ohinoyi’s cake sold out your creativity, tell us what inspired you to the style?
Ans: in my wildest dream, I never imagined that I will make that so soon, but Alhaji Hamza Usman, the Talba of Ebiraland contacted me for the royal castle cake. I told him I will try, but he and I said: “No, Make It Happen!” He gave me the dimensions and specifications and also financed the project. So, I did make it.
Alhaji Usman has been my mentor for a while now, and the first job I did for him was for Ohinoyi’s 92nd birthday last year, and I think I might have impressed him so much more that he contacted me again.
Q: How long did it take to bake that cake?
Ans: The modeling of sugar art started about four weeks to the event, and cakes were baked five days to the event.
Q: Did you at any point have fears or doubt your ability to meet the expectations?
Ans: Yes, I had doubts at every point of the process, even till the moment I set it up. I still felt I did not do justice to it, until I started seeing positive comments.
Q: What was the reaction of the King and how did you feel about it?
And: I could see and feel the joy on His Royal Majesty’s face, and that gave me a relief which kept me smiling uptil this very moment.
Q: How do you feel seeing your work go viral on social media?
Ans: It was not expected wallahi, I never thought of it, and I was not really prepared for it. I am still in shock, but Alhamdulillah.
Q: Tell us about Cakes and Chills.
Ans: Cakes and Chills is a baking industry that makes exquisite yummy cakes, deserts and chops for all occasions and events.
Q: How can you be reached for works, and do you deliver only in Kogi state?
Ans: I make deliveries to other states, and can be contacted via:
WhatsApp: 08167367716
Instagram: CakesandChills
Facebook: Nimatullah Bint Salihu
Q: Any words for the new admirers of your work out there?
Ans: Have absolute faith in God. Whatever one does, be your best and always remain humble, be outspoken and do not live in your fears.
