I Started Smoking in JSS3″—Ebuka Obi-Uchendu Opens Up About His 13-Year Battle with Addiction

Renowned Nigerian media personality and celebrated television host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has shocked fans with a deeply personal revelation regarding his past. Known for his suave demeanor and impeccable style on screens across Africa, the Big Brother Naija host opened up about a decade-long battle with heavy cigarette addiction that began during his early teenage years.

Ebuka made these candid disclosures during a raw and vulnerable discussion on a recent episode of the MENtality podcast, where he features alongside singer and actor Banky W and prominent social media health advocate, Aproko Doctor (Dr. Chinonso Egemba).

From a Casual Habit to Two Packs a Day

According to reports by Daily Post Nigeria, Ebuka admitted that his journey into substance use started remarkably early, while he was still a junior student in secondary school.

“I started smoking in JSS3. I smoked for 13 years. By the time I entered university, I was smoking two packs a day. I was a heavy smoker,” Ebuka recalled during the podcast.

As captured by LEADERSHIP Newspapers, the TV star explained that what began as a casual, peer-influenced routine quickly evolved into an overwhelming dependency that dictated his lifestyle for over a decade. 

He revealed that he eventually managed to break free from the shackles of the habit through sheer discipline and highly intentional lifestyle changes, successfully smoking his final cigarette in 2008, just a day before Ash Wednesday.

Reflecting on his past to warn younger generations, Ebuka added: “If there is anything I would say to younger people, it is that habits mature early, and you must be very careful what you normalise.”

The Trap of Substituting Addictions

The conversation took an even deeper turn when co-host Banky W shared his own vulnerability, revealing that he had struggled with an addiction to pornography in the past. 

Banky W explained that he mistakenly leaned into pornography as an escape mechanism to avoid being promiscuous with multiple women, only to realize he had traded one destructive behavior for another.

Ebuka strongly resonated with Banky’s experience, as reported by TVC News. The media personality noted that many individuals trying to escape a particular vice often fall into the trap of unknowingly swapping it for a new, unhealthy dependency.

Youth, Escapism, and the Rise of Betting Culture

Beyond his personal history with smoking, Ebuka used the platform to sound an alarm regarding the compounding addictions plaguing modern Nigerian youth. According to Vanguard News, he raised serious concerns over the skyrocketing rate of sports betting and gambling addictions across the country.

Ebuka observed that harsh economic realities are pushing vulnerable young people to chase unrealistic expectations. “People would say they’re betting because ‘I dey find money’ and they heard about this guy that had N4 million from betting untop how many odds,” he remarked, noting how viral success stories falsely paint gambling as a viable financial breakthrough.

Weighing in on the psychology of these habits, Aproko Doctor explained that substance abuse and compulsive behaviors usually stem from a desire for escapism. 

He noted that because human nature is inherently wired to avoid pain and pursue pleasure, people easily fall into destructive loops to cope with unresolved emotional baggage or difficult environments.

A Message of Recovery

The MENtality trio wrapped up the episode by urging viewers to prioritize self-awareness, emotional discovery, and self-regulation.

Ebuka’s story serves as a powerful reminder that addiction does not discriminate—even those who seem to have it all together on television have fought silent, grueling battles behind closed doors. 

His transparency is already receiving widespread praise across social media for breaking the stigma around talking about addiction and proving that recovery is entirely possible.