Nigerian actor Emeka Ike has explained his absence from the screens for some time now.

In an interview on Channel Television on Sunday, the popular actor said unfavourable government policies to a large extent affected him and his colleagues in Nollywood.

Also, he disclosed that he has been depressed over his marital issues for a very long time.

"I was in hiding, I was ashamed for what I didn't do. That is sometimes the price you pay for being large..so I was depressed and short-circuited for no reason and I had to just hide my face," he said.

He said he had to be out of the public eye until he knew what was wrong with him.

The 56-year-old actor said at some point he was after journalists who had called him mad man explaining with hindsight but would have been an error in judgment on his part.

Emeka Ike said at some point in his life, he was fighting everyone with some oligarchs sending people after him for disagreeing with them.