Olakira shares how sex addiction nearly ruined his career & how he overcame it

Since the release of 'Maserati', Olakira has followed up with several singles which have enjoyed decent success with none reaching the heights of his breakthrough single. 

In 2020, Olakira took the Nigerian music industry by storm with his hit single 'Maserati' which enjoyed wide commercial success. The Davido remix further propelled the song to another level of success that made Olakira a familiar name in the industry. 

The Afrobeats sensation would take time away from the scene as the music industry saw massive shake-ups in the form of Amapiano and the talents that were able to use the South African import to propel their career to a whole new level. 

Olakira has broken his hiatus as he set to make a strong comeback with the release of two singles 'Ileke' and 'Kisses'. 

In a conversation with Pulse Nigeria, Olakira talks about the pressure that follows the success of his smash hit 'Maserati', battling sex addiction, taking time off music, being related to the internet sensation Mummy GO, and the intention behind his return.

From every perspective, 'Maserati' changed Olakira's career as he became an instant star with accompanying benefits. Olakira reveals that the moment was a big one for him as it brought him fame and money. 

"Man! That deal was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Maserati was huge. Omo! It made things sweet o! I won’t lie. Everything popped after that deal. Major money, babes were trying to hang out, and I was making everyone around me happy."

With fame and money came the struggle to maintain a superstar profile while managing the wide attention of female fans who were throwing themselves at him in a bid to enjoy the largesse of his success. 

"I’m not trying to preach o, but abeg, pray that when the fame comes, God will give you the sense to handle it. The major issue was with women. I had so many fun-loving ones around me. They were always ready to have fun with me. Some days I’ll say I want to work in the studio and one babe will just message me. Some even sent me videos on Snapchat. That’s the end for that day o, no more work."

According to Olakira, this pressure was so much he had to leave the country to seek help. 

"Some days, there would be like 2 or three different ones. Would end up being tired and useless the next day. From weeks turned into months and I had to japa to get help. I wan take my thing end my career. It didn’t make sense."

Olakira's battle with sex addiction was a major struggle for him but he shares that he sought professional help that has assisted him in overcoming the addiction. 

"This is the entertainment industry and sex is like pure water; it’s everywhere. I’m making better choices and prioritizing my work over anything else. I also have someone I can call anytime I feel like I’m losing my grip."

Olakira struggled to get into a creative mind space despite his best efforts in making music. It was this struggle that led him to take a break from the scene in a bid to get things right. 

"I was trying to make more music, but it just wasn’t right. I wasn’t feeling it. I was very distracted. My distractions were plenty and very powerful. I just couldn’t do music anymore. I needed to take a break and get things right again."

For those who might be struggling with different forms of addictions including sexual ones, Olakira advises them to seek professional help by going to therapy. 

"First of all, people need to stop pretending. Our society likes to act like na we holy pass, meanwhile na we do pass. I think sex is a good thing if done right. But if it’s not letting you function, then seek professional help. During therapy, I was taught to identify my triggers. I think that’s one of the biggest ways to overcome it. If you know what sets you off, then you can avoid it. Your support system is also important and I’m grateful for my team; they’ve been with me every step of the way."

Olakira is in a better place creatively and he's hoping to use his experiences to tell a story listeners can connect to through his recently released singles 'Ileke' and 'Kiss'. 

"Good music involves storytelling. They’re both based on things from my life. ‘Ileke’ especially, because na their problem start. I love waist beads,” Olakira says confesseing his intense attraction to waist beads and this was the inspiration for 'Ileke' which is the meaning of the song. 

"I love waist beads on women. They make me curious. If I notice and she’s down, I want to see what’s under there. I want to touch it. I want to see how it shakes when she moves. It was almost like my mumu button. I don’t know what exactly is the cause, but waist beads are damn sexy."

After Mummy GO the preacher who became famous for her larger-than-life stories became a social media sensation, it was later revealed that she was related to Olakira, and this caught the attention of fans. Olakira revealed that his sex addiction persisted despite his blood relationship with the preacher who with other family members had previously attempted to deliver him from it. 

"Some people say na pastor pikin dey spoil pass. I really don’t know to be honest. I grew up in a strict family, but stuff happens. I’ve always been good with women. I was raised single-handedly by my mum, so I always find women easier to relate with. My sister once caught me having sex with an usher in church. It wasn’t funny at all. For weeks they were doing deliverance and casting out demons. After that, I just went low-key. I would do my thing silently and nobody would know. My sister is strict and doesn’t like nonsense."

On what's next for him, Olakira reveals that he intends to focus on his music as he's aiming to put out a project later in the year. 

"It’s strictly music for me. That’s the only focus now. I’m working on a major project for later this year. Work also helps keep me away from trouble."

After seeing both sides of success and fame, Olakira's experiences have shaped him to prioritize what's important to his personal and career growth.