Nigerian rapper Lil Kesh has gotten candid about his struggles with mental health, revealing in a recent interview that he has self-diagnosed ADHD and battles anxiety, challenges he’s dealt with since childhood but never had professional support for.
Speaking on The Esther Show, Lil Kesh shared that although he hasn’t been formally diagnosed, he’s confident about what he experiences.
“I diagnosed myself, but trust me, I know,” he said. “Everyone has a little of it in them, but it becomes a problem when it turns into a disorder. I’ve had my fair share since I was a child.”
The Shoki crooner explained how emotional confusion often fuels his anxiety, but once he understands the root of his feelings, “the problem is half solved.”
“Dealing with things, anything can cause anxiety. But I believe that lack of clarity can cause anxiety for me. Once I know what I’m dealing with or what type of emotions I’m dealing with, then my problem is half solved.”
Despite years of struggling, Lil Kesh has never attended therapy, a decision he attributes to deep trust issues and Nigeria’s limited access to quality mental health care.
“When I needed it the most, I wasn’t privileged to get it,” he said.
Lil Kesh also took time to reflect on the broader systemic issues in Nigeria, particularly poor infrastructure, leadership, and societal stress. Comparing life in Nigeria to that in the UK, he painted a stark picture:
“On the roads in Nigeria, everyone is mad. It’s lawless. Here in the UK, there are speed limits, restrictions… things work.”
On the topic of governance, he was brutally honest:
“The change we are looking for is not going to happen anytime soon. It could happen over time, but no be tomorrow. Nigerians are trying their best, we’re trying now.”
Lil Kesh’s openness is part of a growing wave of Nigerian entertainers speaking out about mental health, social pressure, and the realities of life in Nigeria. His story is a reminder that behind the fame and music, artists often deal with deep personal and societal battles.
