Nigerian Afrobeats star Omah Lay has opened up about his cannabis use, describing it as a way of escaping the pressures of life while explaining why he has stopped putting pressure on himself to quit smoking.
The singer, whose real name is Stanley Omah Didia, discussed the issue during an appearance on the Ionwanna Talk podcast, where he reflected on the challenges young Nigerians face while navigating the country’s social and economic realities.
According to Omah Lay, many young people struggle to cope with the pressures of the system and turn to different substances or habits as ways of finding an escape.
He explained that while some people rely on alcohol and cigarettes, he considers cannabis the cleanest option he has found.
“Every young person in Nigeria find it hard to cope with the systems, so we find something to escape. The cleanest substance I can find, is not alcohol or cigarettes, it is cannabis,” he said.
His comments offer a personal perspective on how he deals with pressure, although they do not establish cannabis as a safe or harmless substance.
Omah Lay Says He Has Stopped Pressuring Himself to Quit Smoking
In a separate podcast conversation with DJ Dan, the Soso hitmaker also spoke about his repeated attempts to stop smoking.
Omah Lay revealed that he had tried several times to quit but struggled to maintain those efforts.
Following the unsuccessful attempts, he said he had decided to stop putting himself under pressure to quit, accepting that smoking remains part of his current lifestyle.
The two conversations highlight the singer’s openness about his personal habits and the challenges he says he has faced in trying to change them.
A Personal Conversation About Life and Pressure
Omah Lay’s remarks also bring attention to the broader pressures facing young Nigerians, a subject he raised during the Ionwanna Talk interview.
Rather than presenting his experience as a solution for others, the singer described cannabis use as his own way of coping with difficult circumstances.
His comments about quitting smoking also reflect his personal experience, rather than evidence that giving up is impossible.
For now, the Afrobeats star appears to have chosen not to put himself under further pressure over the habit, while continuing to speak openly about his struggles.