Maje Ayida Opens Up About Depression After Divorce from Toke Makinwa
A Year of Silence and Withdrawal
Maje Ayida, fitness entrepreneur and ex-husband of Nollywood star Toke Makinwa, has opened up about slipping into a deep depression following their controversial and publicized divorce.
Speaking during a testimony at a UK church a video of which has since gone viral, Ayida recounted how the divorce impacted his mental health, business, and personal life.
“I will be honest about the fact that I went through a divorce which resulted in me being depressed. It was a very publicised divorce,” he admitted.
Shame, Isolation, and Loss of Identity
Ayida shared that the scrutiny and backlash following the divorce drove him into isolation. He felt overwhelmed by shame and withdrew from social life, avoiding work and losing business opportunities in the process.
“I withdrew from society, I was really ashamed of my situation… I stopped going to work. I found it very difficult to work. It was very hard,” he said.
The gym expert emphasized that he struggled with self-esteem and paranoia, believing that everyone was judging him, which led to severe insomnia and hopelessness.
“As a man, your work is your identity, and I started to lose work, business deals. So it became a real problem for me.”
Choosing Recovery Through Accountability
Ayida revealed that his turning point came after a year of what he described as “checking out of life.” He decided to take responsibility and began researching ways to heal, eventually realizing the importance of accountability in recovery.
“I did research on how to deal with it. The top of the list… was accountability. I took the blame on myself. It made me feel worse at first until I began to take practical steps.”
A Look Back at Maje Ayida and Toke Makinwa’s Marriage and Legal Battle
From Love to Legal Showdown
Maje Ayida and Toke Makinwa married in 2014 but separated in 2016 after reports of infidelity. The media frenzy that followed intensified after Makinwa released her memoir, On Becoming, where she detailed her version of the failed marriage.
In 2017, Ayida sued Makinwa for ₦100 million in damages for defamation of character, citing the book’s portrayal of him.
Court Victory for Ayida
In November 2020, a Lagos State High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square ruled in Ayida’s favour. The court awarded ₦500,000 in damages to be paid to a charity of his choice and granted an injunction stopping further distribution of the defamatory content in the memoir.
Public Reactions and Mental Health Conversations
Maje Ayida’s viral testimony has sparked a broader conversation around mental health among Nigerian men, particularly in the aftermath of public scandals and divorces. His candidness about the toll it took on his legacy and self-worth has been praised by many as a step towards destigmatizing depression in men.
