Actress Lupita Nyong'o, boyfriend Selema Masekela break up

US-based Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o has broken up with her 52-year-old boyfriend Selema Masekela, the son of the late South African jazz composer Hugh Masekela, after almost a year of dating.

Lupita, 40, took to her official Instagram page on Thursday to make the announcement, noting that she no longer trusts Selema.  

"There are much more important things going on in the world right now, and my thoughts are with those who are deeply suffering. At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust," said Lupita on Instagram.

"I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception."

Despite acknowledging that a part of her did not want to go public with the news until she got over Selema, Lupita highlighted that by sharing her experience and embracing the pain, she can inspire others who are going through similar hardships to do the same.

"And so, I am choosing to face the pain, cultivating the courage to meet my life exactly as it is, and trusting that this too shall pass," said Kenya's only Oscar winner.

"The promise, they say, is that a tender heart is what gives birth to fearlessness. I hope it’s true… I share this to keep it 100, and I hope that the knowledge of my experience might be useful to someone else out there experiencing the grip of heartbreak who is poised to try and escape from the pain and miss out on the wisdom that comes from it. Let’s face our pain so we don’t spread it."

Lupita first announced that she was dating Selema in December 2022.

Lupita, had at the time, been notoriously private about her personal life, only speaking about her work and family but the Black Panther actress announced the relationship by sharing a video of her and Selema doing outfit changes as part of the ‘Click challenge’ which had been trending on Instagram in December 2022.

“We just click! @selema #thisismylove #nuffsaid,” she captioned the video then.