I almost committed suicide – Iyanya recounts bankruptcy

Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk, popularly known as Iyanya, a Nigerian singer, has revealed how he nearly committed suicide after going bankrupt in 2020.

He stated that he had lost his home and was staying in a hotel, but that he would be unable to pay the hotel bills at some point.

This is when his former management, Temple Management Company, took him to court for allegedly “stealing” a company car.

Iyanya recounted this ordeal as a guest on the latest Tea With Tay podcast episode hosted by actor Temisan Emmanuel Ahwieh, aka Taymesan.

He said, “I was in court for a long time, I didn’t do shows. I couldn’t do anything. You know, when you stopped doing show, you now have to fall back on your savings. But when you are popping, that inflow [of money] is different, the way you spend is different from the way you spend whatever you saved. So, I felt it.

“I got to a point where I was like, mehn, I need to start touring. That was a crazy period for me. Guess what, two days after my last court case, COVID-19 started. I was stalked. I was in a hotel. My house was gone. I was in the hotel for a very long time. It got to one point, I couldn’t pay for the hotel bills anymore.

“The owner of the hotel is such a great human being. I have never seen a such an amazing human being like that. He allowed me stay there. His name is Alaba. He allowed me stay there for over a year. COVID literally caught up with me there. So, imagine not doing shows. Not touring for over a year, no inflow, and you are in court for the whole year. And then finally, it’s looking like the court case is finishing, the lockdown.

“I was in that hotel throughout the lockdown. I almost committed suicide. The manager stopped me one time. All of that stuff. Madness, man.”