Actress and art curator Chidera Adiele has cried out about her family’s battle with her younger brother’s drug addiction and mental health challenges, revealing that years of treatment have failed to restore his condition
In an emotional video posted on Instagram, Chidera disclosed that the struggle began in 2019 after her brother gained admission into the University of Lagos. She said his condition deteriorated during his first year at the institution in 2020 and has continued for the past seven years.
According to her, every effort to get him professional help has yielded little success. She said he has been admitted to several psychiatric facilities, including New York Psychiatric Hospital in Abeokuta, the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Yaba, Concept One, a hospital in Gbagada, another in Benin, and most recently, the 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Yaba.
She explained that doctors at the military hospital discharged him after three months because they could no longer keep him beyond the permitted admission period.
“He was in the psychiatric ward for three months and they recently asked me to come pick him up because they said they couldn’t keep him there indefinitely. The max they can keep a patient there is three months,” she said.
After his discharge, Chidera said the family sought spiritual intervention by taking him to Zion Ministry, but she claimed his condition worsened after returning home.
The actress also revealed that she had moved out of her family house years ago to shield her daughter from the impact of her brother’s behaviour. However, after her parents received a quit notice from their landlord, they relocated to her home along with her brother.
She said she has remained his main caregiver throughout the ordeal, handling hospital visits and treatment expenses despite feeling physically, emotionally, and financially exhausted.
“They’ve brought this drama back to me and worse is I have been his primary caregiver since all of this started. I’ve been the one taking him to all these hospitals,” she said.
Expressing frustration, Chidera said the burden of caring for the family has fallen almost entirely on her shoulders.
“I’m the first child. I’m tired. I’m so tired of carrying responsibilities that I had no business carrying,” she said.
She further accused her parents of failing to play an active role in managing her brother’s condition.
“I’m done being the sacrificial lamb. I’m done being the one who has to take care of everybody and nobody cares about me,” she added.
Chidera disclosed that concerned members of the public have repeatedly contacted her after spotting her brother wandering the streets of Lagos unclothed.
She said her greatest concern remains the safety of her daughter, noting that she has tried unsuccessfully to secure separate accommodation for her brother because of the high cost of housing in Lagos.
“My daughter sleeps in fear because they are still in my house at the moment. I’ve tried to help them get another apartment but apartments, houses are really crazy expensive,” she said.
Concluding her appeal, the actress pleaded with the public for support, saying she has reached her limit after years of trying to save her brother.
“I’ve done what I can do. I’ve carried him everywhere that I can carry him to… I’m tired. Please, I’m drowning. I need help,” she said.
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