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Behind the glamour and applause, some of Nigeria’s most celebrated entertainers have lived through deeply painful realities—trapped in marriages marked by violence, fear, and silence. Over time, many have found the courage to speak up, not just for healing but to help others recognize that walking away from abuse is not weakness, but survival.
Below are stories of actors, singers, and media figures who chose freedom over fear.
Ngozi Nwosu: “I was ready to kill him, I didn’t mind going to jail.”
Veteran actress Ngozi Nwosu recently revealed that she once called off a wedding because of physical assault. Speaking with actress Ayo Adesanya on Real Life with Aunty Ayo, she recalled a terrifying moment that changed her life forever.
“He asked me a question and I was like, ‘Please, today is not the day for a quarrel.’ I went to the kitchen to boil water, and he just broke the kitchen door. I’ll never forget that day till I die,” she recounted.
Nwosu described how the violence escalated: “I plaited Bob Marley and he drew me so hard that one strand came out with blood. I didn’t know where I got the strength from; I just picked up a pestle. That day, I didn’t care—I was ready to kill him.”
Reflecting on the experience, she added, “I don’t believe marriage is a do-or-die affair. When it’s too much, move. If you take it once, you’ll take it forever.”
Chacha Eke: “If I go missing, my lawyers and the police have my statement.”
Actress Chacha Eke shocked fans in 2020 when she announced the end of her marriage to filmmaker Austin Faani. At first, she denied any link to domestic violence, but two years later, she revealed that abuse had been part of her reality.
“For the second time in two years, I am boldly declaring that I am done with my marriage,” she wrote in a social media post. “If push comes to shove and suddenly I am incommunicado, my lawyers, the welfare department, and the Nigeria Police Force have my testimonials ready for release.”
Her statement hinted at years of pain and silence, saying the experience affected her mental health. Faani, however, denied the allegations, maintaining, “I detest violence in any form. I have never raised my hand on any woman in my life.”
Ayo Adesanya: “I was drinking just to be numb.”
In a revealing chat with Chude Jideonwo, actress Ayo Adesanya shared that she endured abuse in her marriage for years without realizing how much it was breaking her.
“I was so depressed; I didn’t even know it was depression. I started drinking. I would buy a bottle of brandy, go to a corner and drink because I just wanted to be numb,” she said.
Adesanya also described public humiliation. “Sometimes, he beat me in public,” she recalled, referencing a time she returned to a movie set with a swollen eye.
Tiwa Savage: “I stayed because I was scared of what people would say.”
Award-winning singer Tiwa Savage once described her marriage to Tunji ‘Teebillz’ Balogun as a painful period of emotional and physical abuse. In her 2016 interview, she admitted she tried to keep the relationship together despite feeling unsafe.
“I tried to hold the marriage together because I was afraid of how the public would react if I left,” she said. “The scrutiny that comes with fame made me feel trapped.”
Tonto Dikeh: “The domestic violence is real.”
Actress Tonto Dikeh’s 2017 interview became a turning point in public awareness about abuse in celebrity marriages. Breaking down in tears, she said, “The domestic violence is real. How I lived to suffer it and go through it over and over again, I do not understand.”
She admitted that many of her smiling social media posts were staged to hide her pain.
Mercy Aigbe: “I left to save my life.”
In 2017, actress Mercy Aigbe’s bruised photos went viral, revealing the violence she had endured in her marriage to Lanre Gentry. The shocking images prompted a national outcry.
She later said, “I walked away to save my life,” explaining that the abuse had broken her emotionally and physically.
Daddy Freeze: “Men also experience abuse.”
Media personality Daddy Freeze has long maintained that he was the victim of violence in his former marriage to Opeyemi Olarinde. He once shared photos of injuries he claimed came from domestic altercations.
“Many men don’t speak up because of shame and disbelief,” he said. “Walking away was about reclaiming my mental health.”
His ex-wife denied the allegations, leading to years of conflicting narratives. However, Freeze has since used his platform to advocate for both male and female victims of abuse, urging society to prioritize safety and emotional wellbeing over appearances.
From Ngozi Nwosu’s fear, to Chacha Eke’s courage, and Mercy Aigbe’s survival, these celebrities’ stories remind us that abuse knows no status. Their willingness to share the truth has helped spark critical conversations about healing, dignity, and the freedom to choose life over violence.
#NgoziNwosu
#TontoDikeh
#MercyAigbe
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