Ebuka Obi-Uchendu Opens Up on Smoking Past and Betting Addiction Warning
Last update: May 22, 2026
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“I started smoking in JSS3 and it lasted 13 years” — TV host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu gets candid about addiction, peer pressure, and why many young Nigerians are turning to betting for quick money.
TV personality and former Big Brother Naija host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, has been refreshingly open about his past struggles with smoking — and he’s also sounding the alarm on the growing wave of betting addiction among young Nigerians, according to cbinews.tv.
Speaking on the latest episode of the MENtality podcast, which dropped on Friday and featured health advocate Aproko Doctor, Ebuka didn’t hold back as the conversation turned to addiction, peer pressure, and the tough economic realities influencing youth behaviour.
He revealed that his own experience with smoking began quite early.
“I started smoking in JSS3 and I smoked for 13 years,” he said, adding that by the time he got to university, it had escalated significantly: “And by university, I was smoking about two packs a day.”
Ebuka explained that addiction doesn’t usually happen overnight — it creeps in gradually, and before long, it can become a difficult cycle to break without real support or intentional effort.
The discussion then shifted to the rising culture of sports betting in Nigeria, with Ebuka expressing concern over how many young people are now chasing gambling wins as a shortcut to financial freedom.
He noted that a common mindset driving this trend is the belief that betting can change one’s life overnight, referencing stories of big wins that circulate widely among youths.
“People would say they’re betting because ‘I dey find money’ and they heard about this guy that had N4 million from betting untop how many odds,” he said.
According to him, these success stories often paint an unrealistic picture, encouraging others to take bigger risks in hopes of similar outcomes.
Also speaking on the issue, Aproko Doctor explained that many addictive behaviours are rooted in emotional escape.
“Human beings have two ambitions. The first is to avoid pain. The second is to chase pleasure. A lot of drug use comes because a lot of people are trying to avoid pain,” he said.
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