NAIROBI, Kenya – Television host and sports commentator Selema Masekela has broken his silence on his past relationship with Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, revealing that the experience made him reconsider having a public romance.
Masekela spoke about the relationship during an August 2026 appearance on the One54 Africa Podcast, marking one of the few times he has publicly addressed his highly publicised romance with the Kenyan-Mexican actress.
The American television personality kept his comments brief but made it clear that the intense public attention surrounding their relationship had influenced his approach to love and privacy.
“It was a relationship that happened, and I don’t think that I ever want to be in a public one again,” Masekela said.
His comments come nearly three years after Nyong’o publicly announced their breakup in October 2023.
Masekela and Nyong’o became one of the most closely watched celebrity couples after making their relationship public in late 2022.
The pair regularly appeared together at events and shared glimpses of their romance online, attracting significant attention from fans in Kenya, the United States and beyond.
Looking back, Masekela acknowledged that the level of attention surrounding their relationship presented lessons about maintaining privacy while dating a high-profile person.
He also reflected on the cultural familiarity he felt while navigating the attention, given their respective backgrounds and connections to Africa and the United States.
However, the experience ultimately left him more guarded about exposing his romantic life to the public.
Masekela did not discuss the specific circumstances that led to the breakup, nor did he respond directly to the allegations of deception that Nyong’o referenced when announcing their separation.
Nyong’o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, when the actress shared a playful video featuring the two of them.
Their relationship appeared to be progressing publicly until Nyong’o announced their separation in October 2023.
In an emotional statement shared on Instagram, the actress said she was experiencing a period of heartbreak after a relationship she had valued ended.
She described the experience as a love that had been “suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception.”
Nyong’o did not identify Masekela by name in the statement, but the announcement came shortly after reports that the couple had ended their relationship. The actress also asked for privacy as she processed the breakup.
“I find myself wanting to run to a friend, or a therapist, or the one person who knows how to help me through this, but I know that I must do it alone,” she wrote at the time.
While Nyong’o addressed the breakup publicly, Masekela largely avoided commenting on what happened between them.
That silence has continued for years, making his latest podcast appearance significant for fans who have followed the former couple’s story.
Rather than revisit the details of the breakup, however, Masekela focused on the broader lesson he took from being in a relationship that attracted enormous public interest.
The sports commentator also spoke positively about Nyong’o’s career, acknowledging her talent and success while maintaining a clear boundary around their past relationship.
Nyong’o later explained why she chose to publicly acknowledge the end of her relationship. In a 2024 interview, the actress said she wanted to be honest with her audience because she had previously shared her relationship publicly.
