Nigerian actress Ayo Adesanya has opened up about her 10-year abusive relationship and how it turned her into an alcoholic.

The actress made the revelation while speaking with Chude Jideonwo of the WithChude podcast.

Adesanya clarified that while she was not married to the man, she remained in the toxic relationship because she was an actress and feared the public would blame her if the relationship crashed.

The actress was formerly in a relationship with Nollywood actor Goriola Hassan, and they had a son together.

Speaking about what she went through in the 10-year toxic relationship, the actress explained that the constant “beating and nagging” she was subjected to pushed her into depression, thereby leading her to turn to alcohol to escape the pain until she became a “drunk.”

Adesanya recalled that she intentionally drank excessively to “numb” herself against the insults and physical abuse she suffered from her ex-partner.

She recounted how she would sneak out to buy alcohol and drink it in a corner until she became numb.

She said, “I met somebody, but at the time, I was naive. I stayed in the relationship that long because, being an actress, I didn’t want people to blame me for the breakup.

“However, we were not married; we had been together for 10 years. There was physical and emotional abuse. I would get beaten right now, and the next moment, he was begging, so I was confused.

“For ten years, the beating and domestic abuse was there, and it happened anyway. So, I got depressed and went into alcohol. I would sneak out to get a bottle of Brandy and go to a corner to drink it because I wanted to be numb.

“I would drink a whole bottle; I was a drunk. I did not want to hear whatever he was saying; I didn’t want to feel the beating, so it became a thing.

“Early in the morning, I sneak to the nearby pharmacy, get a bottle, and drink. I became an alcoholic because I didn’t want to feel the beating.”

The actress, however, revealed that when she eventually had enough of the toxic relationship, she left at midnight with the help of her sister.

She recalled that she made the decision to leave the relationship after she had the same dream three times.

She said, “A lot went on until one day when I got tired. Then I had a dream three times. In the dream, I saw a car moving backward, with people on the road telling me to leave it because it was my time for glory.

“One day, I told one of my sisters what I was going through and asked her to come and help me. That night, he went to the club, so it was a saving grace.

“At midnight, Lara came. I packed my personal belongings and took my son, and that was how I left.

“Meanwhile, I have left and returned thrice.”