”I started smoking in JSS3. I smoked for 13 years. By the time I entered university, I was smoking two packs a day” — Ebuka Obi-Uchendu Shares Personal Battle with Addiction

Media personality Ebuka Obi-Uchendu and singer Banky W have opened up about their personal experiences with addiction, highlighting the challenges of self-regulation and the pursuit of healthier habits.

During a recent episode of the ‘MENtality’ podcast, joined by social media influencer and medical professional Aproko Doctor, the trio discussed the root causes of addictive behaviors.

Ebuka revealed that his struggle with nicotine began at a young age, starting in JSS3. He described his habit as severe, noting that by his university years, he was consuming two packs of cigarettes daily.

“I started smoking JSS3. I smoked for 13 years. By the time I entered university, I was smoking two packs a day. I was a heavy smoker,” he recalled. He credited his eventual sobriety to deliberate, consistent effort to break the dependency.

Banky W shared a candid reflection on how he once attempted to replace one vice with another in a misguided attempt at self-improvement. He explained that he turned to pornography as a way to curb his promiscuity, only to find himself trapped in a different form of addiction.

“I was trying to battle pornography and decided that instead of moving from woman to woman, I should just be watching pornography,” he admitted.

Weighing in on the discussions, Aproko Doctor explained that many negative addictions are driven by the human desire for escapism. He noted that addiction often functions as a mechanism to manage internal distress.

“Human beings have two ambitions. The first is to avoid pain. The second is to chase pleasure. A lot of drug use comes because a lot of people are trying to avoid pain,” he explained.

The participants concluded the conversation by emphasizing that self-regulation and self-discovery are the most effective tools for overcoming addictive cycles. They encouraged viewers to move beyond escapism and address the underlying pains that trigger these dependencies.