‘Ibinabo got what she deserved for banning me from AGN’

Christabel Goddy

Fast rising actress, Christabel Goddy, may be new in the industry but she already knows how it feels to be in the middle of a controversy. The young lady is the actress that allegedly bit off the skin of her colleague, Princess Chineke, during a fight some months ago. Ever since then, she has been dubbed the ‘cannibal actress,’ a name she told Saturday Beats she detests.

And since she claimed the then Actors Guild of Nigeria president, Ibinabo Fiberesima, banned her from AGN and supported Chineke, Goddy said Ibinabo got what she deserved in her latest crisis.

While Chineke has told the world her side of the story concerning her fight with Chineke, Goddy had kept mum until now.

Saying her side of the story, the up and coming actress said trouble started when the duo were paired together to share a room during a movie production.  She said Chineke had repeatedly complained about her (Goddy) frequent midnight calls and one night, it led to a bitter fight leaving both parties injured. After they were separated, Goody claimed Chineke went into the bathroom only to come out claiming that Goody grabbed her thigh with her teeth and bit off a chunk of her (Chineke’s) flesh.

In an exclusive chat with Saturday Beats, Goody swore  she did not bite Chineke as she recounted her ordeal.

“Due to the nature of our profession, we don’t get to check our phones till we are done with shooting at night. That is when most of us have time to tend to our missed calls and messages. The actress had always complained about my phone calls but I found it amusing because I don’t speak loudly on phone. The hotel had a club and that also made so much noise so how come it was my phone call that was disturbing her sleep? Often times, she had complained but this faithful day, I got into the room and saw that she was sleeping on my side of the bed making phone calls, I waited till she was done then I told her to go to her side of the bed because we had our sleeping arrangement. She became belligerent towards me and began to insult my father. I told her to stop but she did not. Before I knew it, a fight ensued. She pushed me and I almost hit my head on the mirror before people came to separate us.

“By the time I would check my body, I had finger nail scratches everywhere and a bite mark on my hand although it was gradually fading. She went to the toilet and came out only to claim that I bit her. There was no blood on the trousers she wore or on the floor; neither was there blood on my cloth but she claimed that I bit her.

“I am not a cannibal; I have never eaten a human flesh in my life. I feel sad when I read that they call me a cannibal but I am a very strong person. If you are innocent of something, with time you would be vindicated. I am happy that people who have had to relate with me know that I am a peace-loving person,” she said.

The actress told Saturday Beats that nobody heard her side of the story yet they dubbed her a cannibal and Fiberesima placed a ban on her.

Even though the ban has been lifted by the current president of the association, Emeka Ike, Goddy said it was quite “irresponsible” of Ibinabo to ban her in the first place without hearing from both parties.

She said, “My only regret is that I indulged her and I am not proud of it. But then with my age and the little number of years I have spent in the industry, I should be excused. Politicians fight every day, so I don’t see why I should be buried. I did not kill anybody. Ibinabo was accused of killing somebody and she was walking on the street, bragging before the law caught up with her. I believe that it is because she passed a wrong judgement against me that God is punishing her. Her ban against me was flimsy and uncalled for even though it has been lifted by Emeka Ike.

“I was in her office and she told me that I was a very decent young lady from the way we were chatting, my lawyer was there and I am quoting her verbatim. She told me not to worry that the matter was just a fight between two people.  She advised that I work on my temperament. She said that she would settle the matter and reverse the ban. She even went as far as taking me to the stadium where they had their veteran football competition and introduced me to the chairman, board of trustees and some directors. As she was introducing me, some of the men told me that I didn’t look the part of a fighter and that I should be more careful next time and avoid people who would trigger my anger. She promised the man that she would take control of the situation.

“She asked me to come to her office the next day and I was there with my lawyer, we waited for seven hours but Ibinabo refused to see me. She gave a flimsy excuse that the other actress was not available because she went to treat her wound. My lawyer was of the opinion that the other girl did not have to be there, that all Ibinabo should have done was to reconcile us and reverse the ban she placed on me. She is certainly paying for the wickedness she meted out on me because God does not joke with me. I don’t go about looking for trouble; I live a very private life. I am not a saint but I try my best to help people.”