Kenyan media personality Adelle Onyango has peeled back the curtain on her private life, revealing shocking details about the collapse of her marriage to Falgun Bhojak — a relationship that not only crumbled under the weight of cultural differences and unmet expectations but also plunged her into one of the darkest chapters of her mental health journey.

Adelle, once the darling of Kenya’s airwaves and now a celebrated podcaster, thought she had found love that could weather cultural divides. But the cracks began to show when deep-rooted traditions clashed with her partner’s expectations.

The podcaster spoke about the emotional weight of Christmas traditions, rituals tied closely to memories of her late mother. Growing up, the holidays were a sacred time: the aroma of rosemary chicken wafting through her Nairobi home, the joy of gift exchanges, and the sparkle of the family Christmas tree. After her mother’s death, those traditions became her lifeline — a way to keep grief at bay.

When she entered her relationship with Bhojak, she made her boundaries crystal clear: Christmas would always belong to her family. “If you do not like it, leave now,” she told him in their third year together.

But this immovable stance, combined with her unwillingness to surrender certain personal choices, would later become a flashpoint in their marriage.

At first, their life together seemed promising. The couple shared happy holidays, but Adelle privately admitted the apartment they lived in never truly felt like home. By the third Christmas, their love story was faltering.

Tensions boiled over during a bitter confrontation when Bhojak accused her of withholding the very things he believed defined marriage.

“You’ve refused to give me the three things that make a marriage,” he told her, listing them one by one: a child, a shared surname, and her wedding ring — symbols he insisted were non-negotiable.

For Adelle, those demands were suffocating. She had long rejected the idea of losing her identity to marriage. She chose not to wear her ring, refused to adopt his name, and was unapologetic about not wanting children. The standoff created a rift too deep to mend.

Ultimately, Adelle moved out. The divorce was messy, draining her emotionally and physically.

Behind the polished success of her brand, Onyango’s world was collapsing. In 2023, she opened up on her hit podcast Legally Clueless about the terrifying depths of depression and suicidal ideation she battled while trying to maintain her public persona.

She described being torn between professional milestones — publishing books, collaborating with international organisations — and personal devastation. The contrast was jarring.

“It was the strongest suicidal thoughts I had ever experienced,” she admitted, recalling how she clung to tiny survival goals just to push through. Her mantra became: “Let’s just make it to Thursday.”

One therapy session left her sobbing uncontrollably, forcing her to confront just how fragile she had become.

Recovery wasn’t linear. There were no overnight miracles, only slow, painful progress marked by persistence and self-compassion.

Today, Adelle Onyango has turned her pain into purpose. Using her platforms, she has become a loud advocate for mental health awareness and a source of comfort for those battling silent struggles.

On Instagram, she once captioned a post simply: “I’m glad I’m still here.” The words carried the weight of survival, offering hope to anyone standing on the edge. She has gone further, sharing therapist contacts and encouraging her followers to seek professional help.

“Be kind; you don’t know what people are fighting,” she urged her audience, turning her vulnerability into a weapon of empathy.