Ebuka Opens Up on 13 Year Smoking Addiction and Life Before Fame

(Ebuka Obi-Uchendu. Photo by X.com)

Media personality Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has spoken candidly about his years-long battle with smoking and how he eventually managed to break free from the habit.

During a recent episode of the MENtality podcast, alongside singer Banky W and social media influencer Aproko Doctor, Ebuka revealed that he first picked up smoking during his junior secondary school years.

He went on to smoke for 13 years, and by the time he got to university, he had become a heavy smoker consuming as many as two packs of cigarettes a day.

He noted that he ultimately overcame the addiction through deliberate and conscious effort.

Banky W also made a striking personal admission, sharing that he had fallen into a pornography addiction while attempting to curb his promiscuous lifestyle.

He explained that he had turned to pornography thinking it would help him avoid moving from one woman to another, not realising he was simply replacing one harmful habit with another.

Ebuka echoed this, noting that many people make the same mistake of swapping one addiction for another in an attempt to escape the first.

Aproko Doctor offered a broader perspective on the psychology behind addiction, explaining that many destructive habits take root because people are seeking an escape from pain.

He noted that human behaviour is largely driven by two motivations the desire to avoid pain and the pursuit of pleasure and that substance use and other addictions often stem from people trying to cope with difficult emotions or circumstances.

The three guests collectively stressed the importance of self-regulation and self-awareness as essential tools for identifying and overcoming negative addictions.

“I started smok!ng in JSS3, I smok£d for 13years, by the time I got to the university, I was already smok!ng 2 packs a day”

– Ebuka pic.twitter.com/sKceoi8jWJ

— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) May 22, 2026