‘I became a woeful husband after my mum’s death’ — Jim Iyke recounts marital struggles

James Ikechukwu, the Nigerian actor better known as Jim Iyke, has opened on his marital struggles after the loss of his mother.

The film star spoke on dealing with his mum’s death and his failed marriage when he featured on the latest episode of #WithChude.

The actor said not long after she died, his wife took in while he was still trying to recover from her death.

“I had suffered a loss. My mom was like my best friend, my co partner. People always wonder how he rise from some of these scandals, how he rises from things that are supposed to bury him,” he said.

“I had someone that speaks to a spirit part of me that nobody can speak to and I lost that. When I lost my mom, I could not find my feet for years. The lifestyle, spirituality, connection had already been lost.

“I was not told until 72 hours after she passed. I was right in the middle of an interview in London. On the plane, while on my way back home after 72 hours, I asked myself, ‘What would she have expected of me? To take charge.

“I came and I took charge as the head of the family, I couldn’t grief, I could not let myself feel.

“When I was getting over it. My wife was pregnant with my first son. I had a quiet space. There was nobody to take care of, and because that was my medium to heal.”

He said his mum’s death took a toll on his emotions to the extent that he could not care for his wife as expected.

“All of a sudden the grief hit me, the loss hit me. I could not sleep unending days, I became irritable. I was no longer the loving man she married,” he added.

“I lost my sense of humor. I lost the lion in me, and the leader in me. I just gave myself to the elements and she suffered for that.

“I became an obsessive dad, I took everything in me to my son and left her behind. I took all of my love and attention and I left her behind.”