Nigerian singer Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk, popularly known as Iyanya, has opened up about the challenges his celebrity status has posed to his personal relationships, explaining why he remains single at the age of 39.
The Kukere crooner made the revelation during a recent episode of the Afropolitan podcast, where he spoke candidly about how past romantic experiences as a public figure have shaped his outlook on love and commitment.
Iyanya said his relationships were often complicated by the pressures of fame, alleging that some former partners attempted to manipulate situations and threatened to take private disagreements to gossip blogs whenever conflicts arose. According to him, those experiences left lasting emotional scars and contributed to his current reluctance to commit.
“I’m not thinking of a serious relationship or marriage because I’m not mentally ready yet,” he said. “If someone is patient enough to stay until I get to a comfortable space, then we can talk about it. But right now, commitment is one of the hardest things for me.”
The singer noted that repeated disappointments made him develop trust and commitment issues over time.
“When you’re famous, some people you date can’t wait to run to blogs when there’s a misunderstanding,” Iyanya explained. “I’m human too. I’ve been in the music industry for 17 years — it’s not like I’ve just been playing games. I’ve genuinely fallen in love before.”
He added that constant threats of public exposure during private disagreements deeply affected him emotionally, making it difficult to fully commit in subsequent relationships.
Iyanya also disclosed that he has chosen to embrace celibacy as part of managing his struggles with relationships, although he admitted that maintaining it consistently has not been easy.