Fitness expert and wellness advocate Maje Ayida has shared a deeply personal account of his struggle with depression following his much-publicised divorce from media personality Toke Makinwa in 2016.

Speaking during a church service hosted by Pastor Bolaji Idowu, Ayida revealed how the intense public backlash, shame, and personal regrets led him into isolation, paranoia, and an extended mental health crisis.

“I went through a divorce, and I became depressed,” Ayida said. “It was a very public divorce. I felt very alone and ashamed—not just for myself, but for the damage I thought I’d done to my family’s name. So I withdrew from society.”

He disclosed that the emotional toll affected every area of his life—he stopped working, lost business opportunities, and struggled with insomnia and overwhelming paranoia.

“I didn’t want to interact with anyone. I stayed at home. I found it hard to get up in the morning. I lost work, business deals… As a man, your work is your identity, and I was losing that.”

Ayida described hitting rock bottom and eventually coming to a turning point. After spending nearly a year “checked out of life,” he began to research ways to heal and found that accountability was key.

“I made a choice to survive. I realised that even though I felt hopeless, I had to climb out of the hole. I accepted blame, and while it hurt at first, it was the start of taking practical steps to recover.”

The divorce gained national attention, particularly after Toke Makinwa recounted their turbulent relationship in her 2016 memoir, On Becoming. Ayida later sued for defamation and won the case in 2020, but he says the emotional scars lingered long after the legal battle ended.

Now in a better place mentally, Ayida’s candid confession sheds light on the silent struggles men face and the importance of seeking healing—even when the world is watching.