Nigerian music executive Ubi Franklin says he battled severe depression during his former marriage and once drove to Third Mainland Bridge intending to take his own life

Nigerian music executive Ubi Franklin has opened up about a deeply painful period in his life, revealing that he battled severe depression during his former marriage and made a Ubi Franklin suicide attempt after driving to Lagos’ Third Mainland Bridge with the intention of taking his own life.

Also read: Wizkid Sparks Exciting Album Buzz With New Teaser

Franklin made the emotional disclosure in a video shared on his Instagram page while reflecting on his former marriage and the personal struggles he experienced during that period.

The talent manager said his mental health deteriorated despite his financial success and professional achievements, leaving him feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about how to cope with the challenges he was facing.

He recalled driving a red Mercedes-Benz CL to Third Mainland Bridge, where he intended to end his life, before his cousin, Omini Stitches, intervened.

“I went through some crazy depressing positions. I remember one time I bought a red CL, and I drove that car to the Third Mainland Bridge to go and commit suicide,” Franklin said.

“The only luck I had was my cousin brother Omini Stitches that came to save me. Several times I had tried to commit suicide, Omini saved me.”

Franklin said his struggles were made more difficult by feelings of embarrassment and confusion, particularly because he believed he had achieved considerable professional success at the time.

He recalled having some of the biggest artists in Nigeria under his management and said he had reached a point in his life where he believed everything was going well.

“I was so embarrassed, I don’t know what to do. I felt like what have I done to deserve all of this. I have like the biggest artist in the country at the time. Everything was fine, so I just felt like it was time for me to settle down,” he said.

His disclosure highlights the often-hidden reality that financial success and professional achievement do not necessarily protect people from severe emotional distress or depression.

Franklin also reflected on the breakdown of his former marriage, saying that despite the difficulties the relationship brought, he and his ex-wife have since developed an amicable relationship.

He said they now maintain a healthy friendship and work together to raise their son, describing their ability to co-parent as one of the positive outcomes of a relationship that ultimately did not survive.

“Sometimes I always feel like this relationship did not work, it was just meant to be that way. Till today I can’t really explain exactly what transpired, but we’re now very good friends,” he said.

“We co-parent very well, we celebrate events of our son.”

The music executive said he has chosen to focus on the positive outcome of the relationship rather than allowing past pain to define his present relationship with his former wife.

He described their son as the greatest gift to emerge from the marriage and said he continues to support his former wife whenever he has the opportunity.

“I have always believed that regardless of all the pain, the best result that I got from that was my son,” Franklin said.

“And she’s still doing very well. Any opportunity I ever have to support her, I always do it to the fullest. And I pray that she continues doing well.”

Franklin also used his experience to offer a broader reflection on relationships and the tendency to turn painful experiences into lasting resentment.

He urged people not to automatically respond to failed relationships by developing hatred for those involved, arguing that difficult experiences can sometimes become opportunities for personal growth.

“The lesson I want you to learn from this is, I don’t want you to think that when something happens sometimes with the human being, you have to hate the human being. No, that’s not the case,” he said.

“Sometimes it is just an opportunity for you to learn from the process and keep it moving.”

Franklin’s account comes as public conversations around mental health continue to grow in Nigeria, where social pressure, stigma and misconceptions can make it difficult for people experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts to seek help.

His revelation also serves as a reminder that people who appear successful or financially secure can still experience serious mental health challenges that may not be visible to those around them.

The intervention by his cousin, which Franklin credits with saving his life, also underscores the importance of recognising warning signs and offering immediate support to people in distress.

While Franklin’s story is rooted in his personal experience, his decision to speak publicly about his struggles may help encourage others facing similar challenges to seek support rather than suffer in silence.

His reflections on his former marriage also suggest a journey from pain towards acceptance, with the music executive choosing reconciliation and co-parenting over bitterness.

Also read: Burna Boy Leads African Music Into History With FIFA World Cup Final Show

For Franklin, the experience appears to have left him with a powerful lesson: painful relationships do not always have to end in hatred, and difficult chapters in life can sometimes become opportunities for healing, growth and a new beginning.