Nigerian singer Inetimi Alfred, popularly known as Timaya, has opened up about his past struggle with drug addiction.
In an interview with The Beat 99.9 FM, Lagos, which was shared on the station’s Instagram account on Thursday, the renowned singer revealed that his battle with drug addiction began during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.
Timaya shared how he was introduced to Molly, a synthetic drug with psychedelic effects, by young boys living with him.
He recounted how the drug initially brought him happiness but eventually led to detrimental effects on his health, including weight loss and financial struggles.
Acknowledging his past mistakes, Timaya admitted to regularly consuming three pills of Molly daily, equating it to medication.
However, he realized the severity of his addiction after suffering significant financial losses and damaged relationships.
Timaya said, “I am not a saint. I have done drugs. Breaking off from drugs was a hell; it was a tough fight.
“I got introduced to drugs during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Everybody was home, and there were those young guys in my house who were always so happy.
“And I was like, ‘Bro, how are you guys happier than me? I am the boss; I have money. What are you guys on?’ And they told me that they had Molly.
“When I took it, I did not understand myself. I was so happy that I dashed all the money in my pocket. So I wanted to just keep feeling like that.
“That was how I lost a lot of weight. I was not eating; I was just happy. How you go, just want to be happy? You are supposed to, first of all, be happy naturally. But when you now need substance to make you happy, it replaces natural happiness. So you have to be buying happiness.
“When I said I was taking Molly, I was taking like three pills every day, and it felt like medication.
“I got kicked out of jobs, contracts… people I was doing business with did not want to work with me again.”
Molly, also known as 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, is a synthetic substance renowned for its psychedelic characteristics, which can modify mood, perception, and awareness of one’s surroundings and circumstances.
