Nollywood star actor, Etim Effiong has expressed joy over presidential pardon granted his father.
Lt Col Moses Effiong was among the officers arrested over an attempted coup on the then military-led administration of Gen Ibrahim Babaginda in 1985.
The actor took to his Instagram page on Thursday, April 9, 2020, where he expressed his joy over the pardon granted to his father.
“THE COLONEL IS BACK! IN 1986 my Father was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for concealment of treason in the Vatsa Coup against the IBB government,” he wrote.
Although he was released in 1993, it wasn’t made official and his rank and entitlements were not restored. Today 34 years later, he has officially received his presidential pardon. ???? ✊???#FAITHFULGOD #NEVERGIVEUP #JESUSISALIVE.
On how he began acting, Effiong noted that acting has always been his passion.
He said in an interview:”I had always known that I would make films, and tell stories from as early as my second year in the university. Prior to that, I was a great storyteller; so I used to gather my friends and narrate the films I’d seen to them. I used to also make up stories and tell them about them. These were usually of movies that didn’t exist, and I typically did that when I had run out of movies to share. I was basically known as a story teller. I was also great with the sciences, so my teachers made me take science classes. When I got to the university, I studied Engineering. While studying, I had a strong conviction that I was going to make films. I didn’t know how it would happen but I knew it would. While working as an engineer, I went on production sets and attended auditions till I started landing roles. One day, I felt very strongly that it was time to make the shift. I didn’t tell anyone because that would have scared my family.
“Interestingly, when I was in the university, I had told my family that I wanted to quit my course and start afresh by enrolling in Theatre Arts. They all thought I had lost my senses and talked me into finishing my engineering course. When I finally decided to quit working in oil and gas and become an actor, I decided it best not to tell them. After resigning, I immediately got a job as a content producer for Ndani Television; as a result of my network. It was a huge break and a soft-landing into the film industry.
Prior to that, I’d acted in minor roles in movies and web series. After working at Ndani Television for a few years, I felt the need to equip myself for the journey I was on and went to South Africa for three years to study film”.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-w40efh8_I/