YCee reveals he has been living with bipolar disorder since 2020, says Nigeria lacks specialists

• Rapper YCee says he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in London in 2020.

• He said continuing treatment in Nigeria exposed a shortage of mental health specialists.

• The rapper also revealed the condition contributed to his long break from music.

Nigerian rapper Oludemilade Martin Alejo, popularly known as YCee, has opened up about a six-year battle with bipolar disorder, revealing that he was diagnosed with the condition in London in 2020 and has since struggled to access adequate treatment after returning to Nigeria.

The 33-year-old made the disclosure during an appearance on Arise TV, where he spoke candidly about how the diagnosis changed his outlook on life and exposed the deep gaps in Nigeria's mental health infrastructure.

"I have been living with bipolar disorder since 2020. I was diagnosed in London because I was in London during that period, and I was in and out of hospital. I went through different diagnoses before we arrived at that," he said.

He recalled that before the diagnosis, mental health was not a topic he had ever meaningfully engaged with, describing it as largely absent from Nigerian conversations at the time.

"Before 2020, I don't think I had even ever said the phrase mental health or come across it in conversation, especially coming from Nigeria," he said.

YCee said the contrast between how mental health was handled in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it is approached in Nigeria was stark. He noted that even as Britain battled the pandemic, helplines and mental health support services remained visible and accessible.

By the time he returned to Lagos to continue treatment, the reality was different.

"I was supposed to continue treatment in Lagos, but that was where I saw how much of a challenge it is to deal with that kind of condition. There was a lack of personnel. As at 2024, there was very little staffing within mental health; psychiatrists, psychologists, and people that are supposed to be servicing those fields," he said.

He argued that the problem extends beyond mental health specifically, pointing to a broader collapse in Nigeria's healthcare system that leaves millions without access to even basic medical care.

YCee also addressed the stigma that continues to surround mental illness in Nigeria, noting that many people dismiss depression as something only the privileged experience.

"Where a lot of people believe that if you are depressed, it is a big man's disease. There is a lot of stigma around it," he said.

He added that his decision to speak publicly about his condition has drawn questions from people who do not understand why he keeps raising the subject.

The rapper also revealed that his mental health struggles contributed to a prolonged absence from music, with his 2021 project Love Drunk receiving far less promotion than it deserved because of the state he was in at the time.

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