Nollywood star Chinedu Ikedieze, famously known as Aki, has bravely shared his heartbreaking childhood experiences of going through bouts of depression because his dwarfism when growing up.
According to Aki, he faced relentless ridicule and bullying, with people hurling hurtful insults that took a devastating toll on his mental health.
He recounted how the intense stigma led to uncontrollable tears and even suicidal thoughts. However, Aki credits his mother’s unwavering support and encouragement to focus on his education for helping him overcome those dark moments.
“My mother told me, ‘If you want to go abroad, read your books. So, I knew the only weapon I had to conquer the world was education, so I paid more attention to my studies. When they threw those insults at me, I cried several times.Â
“It got bad that there were times I thought of ending it all because I felt the society wasn’t bring fair to me. Kids will just touch me and talk to me anyhow. Sometimes, even when I have a misunderstanding with my siblings, they will call me the same names that they fight other children who call me same name.
“Whenever those negative thoughts crept in, I would remind myself, ‘Remember what Mom said? Mom said I’ll be a great man only if I study. So I thought, why not study, then? Until these books fail me, I will keep going. That became my source of comfort,” he shared in a viral video posted on X on Friday, March 14, 2025.