Maje Ayida Opens Up About Battling Depression Following Divorce from Toke Makinwa
Maje Ayida, fitness entrepreneur and former husband of Nollywood star Toke Makinwa, has candidly shared his struggles with depression after their widely publicized divorce.
Speaking at a UK church recently, a clip of which has gone viral on social media, Ayida revealed how public scrutiny and shame led him to withdraw from society. The depression lasted for a year, during which he stopped working and missed out on business opportunities.
He said, “I’ll be honest, going through a divorce that was so public pushed me into depression. I felt incredibly alone and ashamed—not just for myself, but because I cared deeply about my family’s reputation. I went into hiding, avoiding people and even work. It was tough to find motivation or purpose. I lost business deals, and as a man, your work is your identity, so this hit me hard.”
Ayida described how he eventually made a conscious decision to fight his despair. “I was in a dark place, struggling with insomnia and paranoia, imagining people talking about me wherever I went. The silence around me was deafening. But I chose not to stay there. I researched ways to cope and found that taking accountability was key. At first, it made me feel worse, but gradually, I took practical steps to heal.”
Maje and Toke married in 2014 but separated in 2016. In 2017, Ayida sued Makinwa for defamation after she published her memoir, On Becoming, which detailed their troubled marriage. The court eventually ruled in Ayida’s favor, awarding damages and ordering the removal of defamatory content from the book.
Through his openness, Ayida sheds light on the emotional toll of public relationships and the importance of accountability and resilience in overcoming personal battles.