Nigerian actor Chinedu Ikedieze popularly known as Aki, one-half of the dynamic duo known as Aki and Pawpaw, has opened up on his mental health struggles over the years.
The actor, during a conversation with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, Friday, talked about the battles with growth retardation and having suicidal thoughts.
Aki said, “Something happened to me when I was nine years, six months. I remember the doctor saying, ’Madam what he has is stunted growth. I saw another word, growth retardation.
“I was looking for how to pronounce the words. That was when I started hearing these two words, stunted and retarded growth.”
Aki admitted in the interview that he wanted to terminate his life when he realised he wasn’t developing as other kids did and that he was being bullied by friends, classmates, and even members of his family.
“While they were throwing all those tantrums, I cried several times. It got bad o! There were times I thought of ending it all.
“Thank God I no grow up for Lagos o! Third Mainland Bridge no far o”, he added on a lighter note as they laughed.
The actor also expressed gratitude to his parents, thanking his mother in particular for supporting him, although he noted that they never had the typical parent-child bond.
He said, “So, when I remember my mum’s input, how much she did to see us through, which would draw empathy, I’ll become emotional. I’ll want to call her and know how she’s doing. But you know that kind of relationship people have with their parents, I never had.
