Auntie Jemimah’s battle with addiction & her retelling of recovery journey

For fans, Auntie Jemimah is the hilarious voice of relatable everyday experiences, the comedian who turns ordinary moments into laughter.

But behind the bright humour lies a story far more serious, a tale of strict school discipline, teenage rebellion, and a battle with substance abuse that almost derailed her life.

In an interview on Iko Nini podcast, she opened up about the struggles that shaped her journey, from early addiction and ultimately, recovery and advocacy.

Strict school discipline and early rebellion

Auntie Jemimah’s troubles began in her teenage years, when she faced strict disciplinary measures at school.

She recalls being suspended for wanting declining to parcipate in school games and upon returning she was met with more than she expected

Kurudi shule nilikuta nimeandikiwa makosa mengi…some I had never even committed. So now they wanted to suspend me for two weeks because I wanted to go home. Then I could come back after two weeks.

Even after her suspension, she endured manual work as part of her punishment, from cleaning to tending livestock:

I had to dig a compost pit, I got blisters, then wash the kitchen that served 400 girls. Beyond the two weeks at home, I spent another two weeks in school not attending classes, just doing chores.

These early experiences left her feeling unsafe and alienated in the school environment.

“After that, my brain started reacting… I did not feel safe anymore in that school.” Her parents eventually found her a new school in Kangemi, but the trauma from her previous experiences stayed with her.

The descent into substance abuse

It was at her new school that Auntie Jemimah first experimented with substances.

“I started experimenting with marijuana, first smoking, then drinking the ganja juice,” she explained.

Her experimentation eventually escalated into prescription drug abuse, including Mandrax, which gave her an instant high.

“When I discovered I couldn’t do without it…if I missed a dose, I started hearing hallucinations, having a very dry mouth, and other abnormalities in my head.”

Despite the growing addiction, she managed to hide her drug use from school authorities, knowing that detection could worsen her situation.

“They thought it was bleach… I used to hide it very well…unless someone else was using it, I had no group in school.”

The toll on daily life

The addiction began affecting every aspect of her life. Auntie Jemimah recalls being socially isolated.

“The attention I used to attract started going away… I was filthy, I smelled, I kept to myself. I’m not as funny as I used to be. I just wanted to be quiet.”

She also recounted the frightening hallucinations induced by withdrawal and excessive drug use. “The worst hallucination I had was at home. I would scream uncontrollably… in and out of consciousness.”

The road to recovery

Her turning point came when her parents intervened and sought professional help. Auntie Jemimah was admitted to several rehabilitation centres, where she underwent detoxification, therapy, and counselling.

“Individual therapy helped me confront what was going through my mind when I first experimented… The brain reaction to all that punishment I went through was part of the process.”

The rehabilitation process was not only about detox but also about learning how to cope with triggers and rebuilding a sense of belonging.

“The counsellors and other recovering addicts showed me that change was possible… I could relate to their struggles, and that helped me reflect on myself.”

After completing her rehabilitation, Auntie Jemimah returned to school, eventually excelling academically.

“I repeated Form Three, and I was the top candidate that year. Since then, I’ve stayed away from marijuana and Mandrax… Alcohol I take occasionally, but I’ve never overindulged.”

Advocacy and giving back

Recovery transformed her perspective, leading Auntie Jemimah to advocate for other young people struggling with addiction.

She participates in outreach programmes, speaking to young girls in schools and churches about the dangers of substance abuse.

“Even after rehab, they invited me to talk to others… I did quite a number of sessions. I wanted to help others avoid the mistakes I made.”

Today, Auntie Jemimah has channelled her experiences into her comedy, turning moments of pain into humour while promoting resilience and awareness.