By Emmanuel Thomas l Thursday 18.25
LAGOS, Nigeria – For years, she was the undisputed queen of African cinema, a woman whose fiery temper and headline-grabbing scandals were as famous as her acting.
But yesterday, Nollywood icon Tonto Dikeh, 40, stood before a packed congregation to reveal the dark truth behind the “tough girl” persona: a 27-year addiction that began in her childhood home.
In a raw, tear-streaked testimony at the Streams of Joy International Church, the mother-of-one admitted she had been a “human chimney,” hooked on cigarettes and marijuana since the age of 13.
The Secret Struggle
“I can tell you I have never known peace until now,” Dikeh told the stunned worshippers. She described a life fueled by “demonic anger” and heavy alcohol abuse, confessing she would frequently drink until she blacked out, regardless of where she was or who was watching.
The actress traced the roots of her addiction back to her father, noting that early exposure to his smoking habits paved the way for her nearly three-decade-long spiral.
”My body does not ask for it anymore. My body is repelling it. Today, the chain is broken.”
The confession sheds a haunting new light on the explosive 2017 divorce from her ex-husband, Olakunle Churchill. At the height of their bitter public fallout, Churchill claimed Dikeh’s “negative intake” of substances turned her into a woman possessed, alleging that “six men couldn’t hold her down” during fits of rage.
While Dikeh famously produced a clean drug test at the time to brand him a liar, her recent testimony suggests the reality was far more complicated. She acknowledged that her temperament—which she now labels “demonic”—was responsible for destroying her past relationships and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Dikeh credited her sudden transformation to the power of prayer and the teachings of Pastor Jerry Eze.
She admitted she initially feared speaking out because she wanted to “protect her image,” but ultimately decided that the truth was more important than the brand.
Now, the woman once known for her volatility is using her platform to send a chilling warning to parents.
“Be mindful of the habits you model,” she urged, hoping her journey from the brink of collapse to spiritual clarity will serve as a wake-up call for others trapped in the cycle of addiction.
As the Nollywood star enters her 4year, she claims the “chimney” has finally stopped smoking—and for the first time in 27 years, the air is clear.
