•Stephanie Isuma, popularly known as Calabar Chic
When Israeli-American televangelist Benny Hinn shared these words of encouragement that “When everything seems to be falling apart and troubles come from every direction, remember that God is in control”, he probably had Stephanie Isuma, popularly known as Calabar Chic in mind.
The actress-turned skit maker once faced challenges she couldn’t withstand as she attempted to commit suicide twice due to frustration in addition to being kidnapped by Fulani herdsmen, reports Saturday Vanguard.
Despite these challenges, the actress has expressed gratitude for a second chance at life.
She recounted her traumatic experiences: “I was traumatised and suffered depression a great deal. These were very dark moments of my life. Every incident that happened pulled me deeper into a dark place. There were moments I was so broken that I found it difficult to get out of my bed.
“I wouldn’t even want to wake up the next day. I would question my life and ask God why I was even existing, what was my purpose here, what am I doing? But deep down, I knew there was a reason I stayed alive.
“So, I felt those sad feelings, but I didn’t completely give up on myself. Of course, I have friends and family who truly supported me and showed me love. All that helped me to heal. This is because I would speak to them and bare my heart. And they would console me, comfort me, and let me know that I was here for a purpose and I was destined for something greater, and I kept believing that.”
Her kidnap
The kidnapping incident occurred when Calabar Chic was traveling back to Lagos from the East, where she attended a funeral ceremony. It was along the way at Benin bypass that they got ambushed.
Her account of her kidnap: “I was in a car with a friend who was driving with other cars coming behind us. Suddenly, our car was the only one attacked. At first, I thought they were armed robbers, but they turned out to be kidnappers. They took us into the forest and I didn’t know that they were going to hold us captive for that number of days. I didn’t know they were kidnappers until they revealed their mission to us. They said we would pay ransom or they would kill us. They held us hostage for five days. It was a scary and terrifying experience. Our families had to rally around to raise what we could, and we were set free. I thank God that I am alive today to even recount the horrible experience.
“We were sleeping in the bush and I had insects crawling all over my body. I couldn’t do anything about it because they were giving us so many rules that we had to abide by. So, it was very uncomfortable. We were surrounded by armed Fulani herdsmen with very sophisticated weapons. When you see them, they look like cattle rearers, but these ones were in for business. We didn’t eat, and there was no water to drink. In fact, it was on the third day that we were able to get unclean water to drink. “There was an incident where they placed my fingers on a tree and threatened to chop them off. I didn’t know how I survived those five days I was in their den in the forest. After five days, they got their ransom, and they freed us. We had to walk a very long distance to the road. That was how we regained our freedom”.
Despite the traumatic experiences, Calabar Chic believes she was spared for a reason and remains committed to her craft as a skit maker, comedienne, and actress.
