Nigerian-American actor Olurotimi Akinosho—better known as Rotimi—has revealed a terrifying secret struggle that nearly cost him everything.
In a raw and deeply personal video shared with his followers on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the 37-year-old actor confessed that alcohol “almost took him out” during a turbulent chapter marked by crippling anxiety, stress, and a total “spiritual disconnection.”
Rotimi, who is married to Tanzanian singer Venessa Mdee, admitted that what started as a way to “unwind” quickly spiraled into a dangerous cycle of “false confidence” and “demonic” out-of-body experiences that left him reeling for days.
Taking to Instagram to share his testimony, Rotimi didn’t hold back on the grit of his addiction. He described how the pressures of fame and life led him to seek a “false reassurance” in the bottom of a bottle.
“Alcohol almost took me out. False confidence, false strength, false reassurance. All lies of the enemy,” the star declared.
“There was a time when I was like, just try to find an escape. Life was hard, I was filled with anxiety, and I was stressed.”
He recalled moments of profound loneliness where he would turn to his liquor cabinet, mixing cocktails of tequila and vodka just to numb the emotional weight he was carrying.
However, the “chill” he was chasing always came with a devastating price. Rotimi revealed that the aftermath of his drinking sessions would leave him physically and mentally drained for days, even as he was forced to show up on high-stakes film sets.
“Two to three days later, they would be the most painful days after, and I got to work another day,” he admitted.
“I used to go through a lot of pain and I did not know that I was in pain, separated from God.”
In one of the most striking parts of his confession, the entertainer warned his fans about the spiritual toll of heavy drinking, branding the substance as “demonic.”
He claimed that the common experience of “blacking out” is actually an “out-of-body experience” that leaves a person vulnerable.
“They say that thing is demonic; that is true. That is why you black out and do not remember the things you be doing and saying,” he warned.
The turning point for the actor came not through a rehab facility, but through the quiet realization of his responsibilities as a husband and a father.
Rotimi, who settled down in 2025, revealed that his decision to “flee” the bottle was fueled by his desire to be a positive role model for his young son.
He sensationally revealed that he has also ditched social media to protect his mental health and focus on his family.
“I don’t drink anymore because of my marriage… I have a son who is smart and pays attention to everything,” he explained.
“The best way to raise a boy is to be good to their mother, and when you have that, it is unbelievable.”
Citing his faith as his anchor, the singer says he is finally “loved” and “more than enough” without the need for liquid courage. For Rotimi, the “Power” no longer comes from a bottle—it comes from his home.
