Ghanaian comedian and actor Benson Nana Yaw Oduro Boateng, popularly known as Funny Face, has opened up about how he started using drugs during one of the most difficult periods of his life.
The comedian disclosed that he was introduced to drugs by some young men in Kasoa while he was battling depression following the loss of custody of his children.
Speaking about his experience, Funny Face recalled that the young men told him he needed to calm down because of the emotional difficulties he was going through. When he asked how he could calm himself, they introduced him to drugs.
Funny Face explained that instead of helping him deal with his problems, drug use made his situation worse.
The comedian further recalled that after taking the drugs, he experienced the effects intensely and became very high.
According to the actor, the decision to turn to drugs was a bad one, and he now uses his personal experience to caution young people against substance abuse.
“That is why now I am an advocate against it because whatever you go through, if you add drugs to it, it will become worse,” he said.
Funny Face has previously spoken publicly about his struggles with depression, suicidal thoughts and mental-health challenges. His difficulties became particularly pronounced following personal and relationship problems, including the painful experience surrounding custody of his children.
He has also spent time receiving care at a psychiatric facility during periods when his mental health challenges became severe.
Rather than keeping those experiences private, Funny Face is now seeking to turn his difficult past into a lesson for others.
The comedian is currently preparing to begin a drug-abuse prevention drive at various senior high schools in Ghana, where he intends to use his own story to educate and caution students about the dangers of substance abuse.
Funny Face believes that his own experience gives him a unique opportunity to connect with the youth and show them that drugs are not a solution to emotional or personal problems.