For nearly three decades, a struggle few ever imagined followed one of Nollywood’s most recognisable faces into adulthood. On Sunday, actress Tonto Dikeh pulled back the curtain on a deeply personal journey, revealing a cycle of addiction that began in her early teens and shadowed her life for 27 years before what she described as a decisive turning point.
Speaking during a testimony at Streams of Joy International Church, the 40-year-old actress disclosed that she started smoking at the age of 13 and later struggled with multiple forms of addiction, including alcohol, masturbation and prolonged anger issues. The revelation, delivered in a packed Sunday service, stunned congregants and quickly sparked conversations beyond the church walls.
Dikeh described the long battle as one marked by what she called “demonic oppression,” explaining that her freedom from the addictions came only after a significant improvement in her spiritual life. According to her, the changes were gradual but unmistakable. “I smoked since I was 13. God healed me from masturbation, too. I have known myself to have sexual intercourse in the dream ever since I was a child,” she told the congregation.
Tracing the roots of her smoking habit, the actress said early exposure played a critical role, noting that her father was a smoker. She used the moment to caution parents against exposing children to habits that could later become lifelong struggles.
Beyond substance addiction, Dikeh also spoke candidly about anger, describing it as another destructive force that once strained her relationships and personal life. She said she had only recently experienced relief from what she termed “demonic anger,” a development she credited to divine intervention.
Following her testimony, the church’s founder, Pastor Jerry Eze, prayed for the actress, declaring that “the burden of sin is broken” and describing her as “a voice in her generation.”
Dikeh’s disclosure adds her voice to a growing number of public figures using personal testimony to highlight the often unseen battles behind fame, underscoring how early exposure and prolonged struggles can shape lives long before the spotlight appears.
