By: Odeh Favour Adiya
Nigerian music executive and talent manager, Ubi Franklin, has revealed that he battled severe depression and made several suicide attempts following the collapse of his marriage to Nollywood actress, Lilian Esoro.
Speaking in an episode of his podcast, Talks with Ubi Franklin, which was shared on his Instagram page on Wednesday, Franklin described the period following his marital breakup as one of the darkest moments of his life.
Recalling how their relationship started, Franklin stated that he met Esoro on January 4, 2015, proposed to her on March 19 of the same year, and organized a grand dinner to celebrate their engagement.
“After I engaged her, I set up a nice dinner at the Red Restaurant of Eko Hotel. I invited all my friends, big boys, everybody. Guess what? She didn’t turn up. She had dropped the rings and left. I was so embarrassed because it was a big thing on social media,” he said.
Franklin explained that Esoro later returned and gave reasons for her initial sudden departure, noting that she had developed cold feet regarding the commitment.
“She said she just had cold feet. Sometimes people feel they are ready for something, but when it finally happens, they realise they are not,” he recalled.
He noted that they eventually reconciled and proceeded with their wedding after she indicated her readiness to tie the knot. However, despite their efforts to make the marriage work, the union later ended in divorce.
Franklin disclosed that the divorce took a heavy emotional toll on him, leaving him deeply depressed and driving him to attempt suicide on several occasions, only to be saved by his family.
“I remember one time, I bought a red CLA, and I drove that car to Third Mainland Bridge to go and commit suicide. The only luck I had was my cousin, my brother, Omini Stitches, who came to save me. I was so embarrassed. I didn’t know what to do. I felt like, ‘What have I done to deserve all of this?’ I had a good career going for myself… I just felt like it was time for me to settle down,” he said.
Despite the painful experience and emotional turmoil, Franklin noted that he and Esoro chose not to engage in public disputes after their separation, opting instead to maintain a cordial relationship for the sake of their child.
“We didn’t go on social media to fight ourselves. We became good friends… We try to live a good life for our son,” he said.
Describing their son as the greatest blessing to emerge from the dissolved marriage, the talent manager expressed gratitude for his child’s growth and well-being.
“Regardless of all the pain, I believe that the best result that I got from that is my son. He’s still doing very well,” Franklin said.
The talent manager also urged people going through difficult moments in their marriages or relationships not to lose hope.
“If you’re watching this and you’re going through something, whatever happens to your marriage or your relationship, it’s not the end of life. Sometimes it’s an opportunity for you to learn a lesson and keep moving,” he said.
