‘We Attributed It To Spiritual Attack’ -Chacha Eke Gets Honest On Her Struggles With Mental Illness, Recounts Episodes Of Going ‘Mad’ | Watch
Nollywood sweetheart, Chacha Eke Faani has spoken out for the first time admitting that she battled with mental illness at some points in her life.
During a service on Sunday at House on the Rock Church, Asaba, Delta State; the thespian shared a testimony about her struggles with the disorder and how she overcame it.
In a viral video, the actress recalled episodes of the times she went ‘mad’, ‘crazy’, ‘bunkers’.
According to the beautiful mother of four, she lost control of her mind and vandalized their properties and that of the hotel she was lodged with her husband, Austin Faani and children.
She acknowledged that at the time, they were ignorant of mental illness and blamed everything and every one possible as they felt it was either a demonic attack or voodoo.
She also hinted at reuniting with her husband from whom she announced separation a few months ago. She thanked him profusely for sticking with her during her trying mental health state.
In her words:
“I was lodged in a hotel with my husband and two children at that time and then it happened. I went mad.
Just like in the movies, I went bunkers. I went crazy. I began to throw away all of our belongings including the hotel properties. Ripping things apart.
I destroyed every one of our belongings, cloth, shoes, bags, the children’s toys; I vandalised the hotel’s properties; the parlour had three large cushions. I ripped them all apart using a tiny knife.
That incident was so intense that what I needed was a trip to the hospital. But I didn’t go to the hospital because, my husband and I who are seated here, was there to support me. Thank you for your support.
We attributed it to demonic attack, marine spirit, voodoo, somewhere from somewhere.”
Citing some of the blame games, she said,
“Oh, it is Nollywood, you know it can get envious in that industry, oh it’s my father and my mother, you know they were not really in support of the marriage, oh I think it’s your family, oh I think it’s you my husband since I married you my life started going haywire.”
Speaking about another episode in 2020, she revealed that it came while her husband was away and lasted for four days. She shared further:
“I had another manic episode in 2020 here in Delta State, Asaba, and I was writing a script while my husband was on his way to Lagos to sign a deal for our company with another production house; before I knew it, I had run mad again.
“I began to destroy things around the house. I broke televisions and chandelier lights and burnt all my clothes and children’s clothes just like I did in Enugu.”
Chacha explained that she felt like she was being watched and manipulated at some point, even though she had superpowers.
The actress revealed that at this time, she was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with Bipolar disorder. She recalled:
“I could not stop myself in action. They had to bind me, hands and legs, and I was still stubborn, just like in the movies. At that point, the Doctor, Dr Isioma Okogba and a psychiatrist diagnosed me with Bipolar disorder.”
She revealed that despite hearing the news about her illness, she did not take it lightly “I had heard that name in the movies, but as an actor, I didn’t pay heed to the tag.
“I didn’t take that news well because I felt I was way too brilliant and beautiful to have what we would call a little bit of Sko Sko (madness).”
The talented actress also revealed a second diagnosis. She was pregnant, and it was good news for her.
The Ebonyi State native disclosed that she refused to stay on medications despite her diagnosis. She shared:
“When they gave me drugs to take, when I went home, I was flushing the drugs down the toilet. I had a friend who bought me pills worth thousands of dollars; it was a six-month supply for the disorder, but my head did not agree with that news, so I called her and told her I won’t take them.
The Lord told me in my sleep that those drugs were not for me. I’m fine. I had the pregnancy without my pills, but I never stopped going mad, only this time it was small madness.”
She said after the birth of her child in 2021, she had another episode after resuming work, and the stress triggered it; just like the previous ones, she destroyed properties, including vital business documents and wedding photos. She added:
“In 2021, I ran out of our house in the early morning. I felt that I was being pursued, and then mid-way, I remembered why I ran out of my house; I was convinced that my husband wanted to use me for rituals.”
On June 28, for the second time in two years, Chacha announced the end of her nine-year-old marriage to the father of her four kids.
Citing reasons for her decision, the actress stated the need to stay alive rather than leave as a corpse propels her to terminate the marriage noting it was long overdue.
She apologised to the public for misleading them by depicting she had a blissful life while being married.
But in September, during an Instagram Live session with fans, the 35-year-old filmmaker addressed concerns of fans about returning to her hubby ‘when the chance presents itself’.
She stated why ‘she still has Faani to her Instagram name because she’s supposed to as they’re gonna get back soon’.