28th June, 2022
By Nehru Odeh
Popular Nollywood actress, Chacha Eke has opened up on why she broke up with filmmaker Austin Faani for the second time in two years.
The 34-year-old actress, who married Fanni in June 2013 in Asaba, Delta State, made this revelation while announcing the end of their marriage on her Instagram page on Monday.
Eke hinged the reason she had called it quits with her estranged husband on domestic abuse, saying it is better to leave the relationship alive than as a corpse’.
Eke, who apologized for deceiving the public, also said she had been enduring in her marriage and living a lie, adding that she doesn’t want to die or go inexplicably missing.
She revealed that she had released pieces of evidence to her lawyers and the police in case things go awry.
Here is her statement:
“LEAVE NOW ALIVE OR LEAVE AS A CORPSE
Many have died pretending all is well whilst wishing, hoping and praying for a better tomorrow.
I don’t want to “die” or go inexplicably “missing”.
I sincerely and publicly apologise for living a lie these past years. True to random speculations, there has been trouble in my “perceived paradise”.
For the 2nd time in 2 years, I am here on social media boldly declaring that I am done with my marriage. My long overdue/relentless stance on this is no news to Austin Faani, the doctors and my parents.
Suppose push comes to shove & suddenly I am incommunicado. In that case, my lawyers, the welfare department and the Nigerian police force have my testimonials in recorded video clips/statements set for public release on all social media apps and national newspapers.”
Still, this revelation is coming as a surprise because she featured in a movie, Wanted, her estranged husband recently produced and which was released on 10 June on YouTube.
In October 2020, she announced the end of her seven-year-old marriage, alleging domestic violence and a threat to life. Only for her to make a u-turn days later, debunking the report saying she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
She wrote: ‘‘Five days ago, I made a video saying that my marriage to Austin Faani is over and that video came with a lot of backlash from people, with many insinuating that it’s a clear case of domestic violence. It’s not. Austin has never laid his hands on me. Austin has never even raised his voice at me; God in heaven knows that’s the truth.
“I’m here at First Delta American hospital, Asaba, receiving treatment. Several psychiatrists have come to assess me mentally, and I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Bipolar is real. Here in Africa, we tend not to know about it due to ignorance or overlook it. I cannot tell you all how I’ve been feeling in these little videos that I’ve been making, but I will, however, show you motion pictures soon”.
A year after, they welcomed their fourth child, a daughter.