Nollywood actor Jim Iyke recently opened up about his failed marriage, shedding light on a personal issue that not many people were aware of.
During an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Iyke discussed the reasons for his marriage’s demise while admitting responsibility for its collapse, explaining that he emotionally distanced himself from his partner, who had given birth to their first son.
While grieving his mother’s death, the actor revealed that he focused all of his love and attention on his child, inadvertently neglecting his wife.
He confessed, “I have had a failed marriage, but nobody knows that. I have three kids. I caused my marriage to fail. I am not the type to blame anyone for my mistakes. There is a saying, ‘to boss up, own up.’ There is a part of me that would take the easier route out.”
The actor went on to reveal that whenever he made poor choices in life, it was often during times of heightened emotions, and he acknowledged his tendency to become mediocre when swayed by his emotions.
Jim Iyke added that he prided himself on being deliberate and strategic in his actions but acknowledged his vulnerability to emotional upheaval.
Delving into how the pain of his mother affected him, he mentioned that when she passed, no one in the family wanted to deliver the heartbreaking news of her passing to him due to the deep bond he shared with her.
He recounted the distressing experience, sharing, “When I lost my mother, I could not find my feet for years. There was a lifestyle and a spiritual connection that I lost. It took them 72 hours to tell me that I had lost my mother. I just got out of an interview in London.”
Discussing the impact of his mother’s death on his relationship with his wife and son, Iyke revealed, “Just when I was getting over it, my woman was pregnant with my first son. I had a quiet space; there was nobody around me to take care of me anymore. The grief hit me suddenly, and I couldn’t sleep for days. I was irritable and no longer the loving man she had met.”
Contrary to his public image as a prankster and someone who brings humour to serious situations, Iyke admitted that he lost his sense of humour, his inner strength, and his leadership qualities.
He became consumed by his grief, leaving his wife feeling neglected. Iyke explained, “I took all my love and attention and invested it in my son and left her behind. I was an excellent father and a woeful husband. They are white, they are not built like us.”
Over time, his wife expressed her dissatisfaction, claiming that she no longer recognized the man she married and as a result, they decided to part ways amicably.
“I am here, but I am not here. There is no presence here. I don’t know what it would take me to heal and bring myself back here, but if you want to wait for me, I will appreciate it, and if you can’t, I will understand.’ She said she can’t,” he disclosed.
