Posted by Chinenye on Tue 18th Aug, 2026 - tori.ng
Nigerian music star Omah Lay has opened up about his long-running struggle with smoking and why he has changed his approach to quitting.
(Omah Lay. Photo by OkayAfrica)
Nigerian singer Omah Lay has disclosed that he no longer attempts to abandon his smoking habit after prior efforts at cessation proved unsuccessful.
During a podcast interview, he addressed his relationship with the practice and explained his decision to accept it rather than continue resisting.
He indicated that smoking brings him satisfaction and acknowledged having made deliberate attempts to discontinue the behaviour without sustained success.
Rather than persisting with such efforts, he has opted to cease exerting pressure on himself, attributing this shift in perspective to his broader worldview.
He characterised his acceptance as tied to a desire to exist without internal conflict, stating that he prefers to "just live" his life without battling against aspects of his behaviour.
Omah Lay also reflected on how marijuana use is perceived socially and legally in Nigeria, noting that young people who smoke often experience a sense of criminalisation due to the substance's prohibited status.
He described the sensation produced by smoking as generating "artificial happiness," acknowledging simultaneously that such effects are temporary.
He expressed that he has reached a point of accepting his lifestyle and circumstances rather than continuing to force personal change.