Val Faith: Sexual Abuse, Gender Inequality Kills Talents

Controversial Nollywood actor, Hon Val Faith hails from Akwa Ibom, precisely from Use offot under Uyo Local Government Area.

The graduate of Theater arts from the prestigious University of Calabar, was accused of cultism, drug peddling and thuggery within the movie industry due to his action filled flicks.

The Elephant of Nollywood has triangulated his art in South Africa, Malaysia and Ghana.

Honourable Val, 33, under the umbrella of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), took part in the 2018/2019 National Assembly election in Akwa Ibom, Uyo constituency, but sadly he lost to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.

The handsome thespian got married at 26, was blessed with a beautiful daughter at 27, and he got divorced at 28. He has happily re-married and has succeeded in producing more than ten movies within two years with different producers across Nigeria. He has huge social media presence with lots of followers within and outside Nigeria.

He has his eyes on the position of the first citizen of his state come 2027, is intention to vie for the numero uno position this year (2023) was sheath by the party’s godfathers; they persuaded him to wait for another four years.

‘Baba for the girls’ as he is fondly called, started his acting career at the age of seven in the Assemblies of God Church in his homestead at the age of 12 his acting skills became conspicuous while participating in a church theatre group called, Dynamic Theatre Group, operating under the auspices of Redeemed Sanctified Zion Church, Uyo Dioceses where his father was a resident pastor.

West Itan Comprehensive High School’s drama group got more laurels due to his acting dexterity, while he was in SS1, his father was promoted and transferred to the church branch headquarters in Cross River State to double as the church superintendent in Calabar South, and the versatile movie actor got transferred to National Comprehensive High School, not quite long he took over the school’s theatre group, and his acting prowess was felt, in and outside of the state.

According to Val Faith; ‘While I was in the University, I visited several auditioning centres.”

He has weathered the storm of tribal sentiment currently ravaging Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states, in 2010 he managed to break through under the leadership of David Anderson as the AGN chairman in Cross River that was when he started to display his acting competence.

He shot his first movie in Akwa Ibom in 2010, where he played three characters 2013/14 was tough for him, he struggles to reckon with the audience.

Patrick Hogan, a Lagos-based movie director, came to Akwa Ibom to direct a movie for a Lagos-based marketer, and he staged an audition searching for a good actor that can act longer scenes, out of 1000 actors jostling for the script, Honourable Val Faith got it; that was how he got his breakthrough in the movie industry.

It was a fantastic movie from season 1 to 8, he shine like a million stars at the age of 22.

The years of the cankerworm came, and his directors turned their backs on him due to a trivial matter. One of the directors said; he is too handsome and that each time he steps on location the ladies got distracted, and within 24 hours, he’ll have all the girls around him. He was left in the lurch for seven years.

Patrick Hogan came back towards the end of 2015 for Val Faith to shoot another blockbuster movie, titled; ‘The Return Of Ikoso’ then he still has his long dreadlocks, his death and that of some notable actors in the movie left his audience sad, some of his favourite fans reached out to the marketer/movie director and queried why Val Faith should die.

On the set of that movie (The Return Of Ikoso) he was poisoned, while the movie recorded a double platinum.

The honourable took a break from acting and contested for the Provost of Akwa Ibom State AGN seat, unfortunately, the electoral body cast a vote of no confidence on him, so he stepped down and went back to his calling.

The actor who canvasses against drugs but smokes only on movie set took a few questions from CREEKVIBES OLUWADAMILARE DANIELS. Excerpts;

Have you had any life-threatening events?

It was when I was attack by Moses Armstrong, Moses Ekong and Humble Akpan, the threesome are all movie directors they came with their followers and engaged me in fierce physical combat, they shredded my clothes cut my necklaces; took me to the middle of the road and did a lot of unprintable things to me.

Did you report the attack at the nearest police station?

Some of the godfathers in the state interceded, and we resolved it amicably.

Are you in a good relationship with the three directors that fought you?

I am not in a good or bad relationship with them, if there is a transaction to be done, I will oblige.

If they offer you slots will you accept?

I and Moses Ekong, have met, and we chattered and had drinks together like brothers.

What was it like for you to climb the ladder of success in the movie industry?

In 2017, Patrick Hogan shot a movie titled; ‘The God of The Orphan’, with that movie, I monopolised the market throughout 2018, and the rewards from that work took care of my traditional marriage and white wedding, though I am a divorce who have re-married.

Can you say something about why you divorced?

It is not yet time for me, to open up to the media concerning my divorce saga.

The movie titled; ‘The God of The Orphan’ sold platinum between January and March of that year, it was so profitable that I started a poultry farm.

Shed more light on your political career?

I went into politics between 2018/19 and lost everything I had, including close friends, but like the saying goes the downfall of a man is not the end of his life, luck shone on me again in 2019 while struggling with my new family, I did ‘Obong Owo’ season 1 and 2, it was also a blockbuster.

When did you start your movie directing career?

I moved to Lagos in 2020, and I started directing my movies.

Presently how can you describe your nascent relationship?

It is fine, I am happily married to another woman now.

Due to your handsome look, ladies throw themselves at you, can you explain how you handled their excesses?

That has been my greatest problem here in my state, I have a natural charisma of attracting ladies, they are just naturally attracted to me, they call me ‘Baba for the girls’, I don’t harm them nor chase them away, I have no record of sexual abuse in the whole of Akwa Ibom movie industry, I am always against molestation and their marginalisation, I respect them I give them roles, it is not a must I have an affair with them because they are also peoples girlfriends and also going to become peoples wife.

I am an advocate fighting against girls molestation, I always enlighten them on their rights, sometimes when movie directors invite them to their movie locations, and they say; ‘I am Val’s girl friend’ the director may decide not to feature them in his movie.

How and why were you poisoned?

After the movie I did in 2014 for Sir White Production, I attempted to start my movie production, it caused an uproar within the godfather’s caucus because, at that time, I was their production manager, I am a cinematographer, a director and an executive producer, I directed ‘The Iroko of Uyo’, I make movie stars.

While I was directing my first movie, I was able to gather my friends, and we were on my movie location in good spirits, day-two on the set, they all came to me and said they wanted to leave, I beg and begged them to no avail, they all left my location, I couldn’t understand what transpired, and that was how I lost a lot of money, I wept.

It was during that time I discovered that I had been poisoned, so I went to the clinic and did several tests medically they couldn’t handle it.

Alternatively, I applied orthodox treatment before it subsided, and later I got rid of it.

It was more or less a spiritual attack.

Yes.

Why were you called a cultist in the Movie Industry?

Because I shot action movies laced with drug-baron scenes. I was the first actor that makes use of real guns although, collected from the right authority under stern watch.

A message to Nigerians?

Sexual Abuse and Gender Inequality are killing talents in the Nigerian Movie Industry.