Popular Nollywood comic Actor Chinedu Ikedieze a.k.a Aki has spoken about how he almost ended his life after the doctors diagnosed him with stunted growth.
According to Aki, his mother took him to the hospital where the doctors diagnosed him of “stunted growth or growth retardant”.
He recounted how he used to cry in his room due to how some people used to mock him. He disclosed that it got serious that he had su!cidal thoughts.
In his words:
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“I remember my mom taking me to the hospital when I was around nine years old. I think I was sick. The doctor told her, ‘Madam, stop worrying yourself. He has no problem. Just make sure he reads his books, goes to school, and be there for him.“
He continued:
“That hit me hard. I was born and brought up in the village, so hearing that kind of English from a doctor — it stuck with me. I remember the doctor saying, ‘Madam, what he has is stunted growth.’ Then he wrote something on a report, and I saw another word: growth retardation. “
”I didn’t even know how to pronounce it. That was when I started hearing those words over and over again. My mom always told me, ‘You are small; you cannot start carrying cement or doing furniture work. The best thing for you is to go and study.’
So I knew that the only weapon I had to conquer the world was education. But it was painful. People taunted me. I cried several times. They called me names. It got so bad that, at times, I thought of ending it all.”
The actor is known from acting comic roles alongside his colleague Osita Iheme a.k.a Pawpaw. He is happily married and blessed with kids.
What words of advice do you have for Aki regarding his stunted growth?
