Entertainment
I’m recuperating after being poisoned third time – Mr Ibu
Actor, John Okafor, aka Mr Ibu, has said he is currently in the hospital after being poisoned for the third time in about three years.
Speaking with Saturday Beats from his hospital bed, Ibu said, “I just got poisoned again. It seems my enemies are using me to rehearse (their powers). This time, I wasn’t poisoned in the village. I was poisoned in Abuja last week at an entertainment event. I really cannot explain how I was poisoned because it was a gathering of people, though it was not a big event.”
Though he sounded weak, the actor maintained that he was getting better. He said, “I am recuperating, although I have neither worked out nor driven since I got ill. However, I intend to take a walk this (Friday) evening, because I am hopeful that I would get better. I am eating well now, and I’m prepared to go back on set any moment from now.”
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Mr Ibu also bashed those soliciting for funds on his behalf without his consent. He said, “Some people have sold me. They have not heard from me and all they want to do is ‘sell me’. But, their plans won’t work because God has raised me up. I am not begging anybody for money. My condition is not as critical as some people are making it seem. Anybody who has made it a point of duty to talk about my sickness and take advantage of it should stop. I am here (hospital) with my wife. I am not saying all my friends that are supposed to visit me and bring me money cannot do that. But, I have never asked anyone to beg people for money on my behalf. They should stop. If I want to die, I would let them know, since they seem to be so interested.”
Back in 2019, the actor had alleged that some members of his staff were paid by his kinsmen to kill him because of his successful career.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Actors Guild of Nigeria paid a visit to Ibu at the Zenith Medical Centre, Abuja, on Friday.
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Entertainment
Veteran Nollywood Actor Ogogo Battles Stage-4 Cancer as Daughters Beg for Treatment
Veteran Nollywood Actor Ogogo Battles Stage-4 Cancer as Daughters Beg for Treatment
The daughters of veteran Yoruba Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, have made an emotional public appeal for urgent medical assistance, revealing that their 66-year-old father is battling stage-four cancer and that hospitals have refused to continue his treatment .
The daughters of veteran Yoruba Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, have made an emotional public appeal for urgent medical assistance, revealing that their 66-year-old father is battling stage-four cancer and that hospitals have refused to continue his treatment. Lima and Kira Taiwo shared tearful videos on Instagram on Monday, August 17, 2026, pleading with Nigerians, well-wishers, and medical professionals with experience in cancer treatment to help save their father’s life. The family stressed that they are not soliciting financial donations but are desperately seeking medical intervention to give the veteran actor another chance at life.
In a video posted on her Instagram page, Lima struggled to hold back tears as she appealed for help, saying her father’s condition had deteriorated significantly and that hospitals had refused to treat him. She said: “Hello everybody, good evening. I’m here to ask for help from my daddy. He has cancer and it’s really, really bad. And the hospitals are refusing to treat him. At least, please, give this man a chance. Nobody wants to do anything.” Lima revealed that the family only became aware of the severity of Ogogo’s condition about three weeks ago, adding that his physical appearance had not initially reflected how serious his illness was. “You see him, you can’t even know that something is wrong that bad. It’s just starting to show. We didn’t even know until like three weeks ago,” she said. She reiterated that the appeal was strictly for medical assistance and not financial donations, urging anyone with connections to healthcare providers willing to take on her father’s case to reach out to the family. “Please, I’m begging you. If you know somebody that knows somebody that will be willing to treat him, anything, we’re willing to try anything. We’re not here to ask for money. Nobody’s here to ask for money,” she said. She also acknowledged the support the family had received from a relative, saying he had stepped in during the crisis. “My big uncle has helped a lot. He has been of great help. Like, nobody even knew that he would show up for us this way,” she said. The visibly distraught daughter ended the video with a tearful plea, saying she could not bear to watch her father die.
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In a separate Instagram video, Kira confirmed that her father’s cancer had reached stage four and disclosed that the hospital treating him had indicated that it could no longer administer chemotherapy. “Hello everyone, I’m here for my daddy. He has cancer and is in stage 4. The hospital is saying that they cannot treat him again, like they can’t give him chemo again,” she said. Kira appealed to anyone who could provide cancer treatment for the actor, including chemotherapy or herbal remedies, to contact the family, and expressed gratitude to Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, for his significant financial support towards their father’s treatment. “And I really, really, really love to appreciate Senator Yayi. He has been the one helping us, he has been the one footing the bills,” she said. Kira became emotional while describing her father’s condition, saying she had never seen him in such pain and revealing that Ogogo had expressed fear of dying. “He’s saying that he doesn’t want to die. Please, I’ve never seen my daddy in that kind of pain before,” she said.
The family revealed that Ogogo’s stomach is swollen and that he has been crying from the pain. According to reports, the family is open to exploring both medical and traditional treatment options. Kira stated: “What I’m here for is that if you can treat my daddy, if you can start chemo for him, whether it’s medical or herbs, please, I’m begging you, guys, I’m begging you, any help, anything, anybody that you know that can treat cancer, please, please, I’m begging you.” She urged anyone who knew a medical professional or facility capable of treating cancer to contact her, her sister, or the actor directly via Instagram.
Dr. Olusina Ajidahun, a prominent medical doctor, has cautioned against the public narrative surrounding the actor’s case, warning that the daughters’ claims that hospitals “refused to treat” their father could unfairly incite anger toward healthcare workers. He explained that when patients have stage-four cancer and chemotherapy and other therapies have been exhausted, the appropriate course is palliative care—managing symptoms and ensuring quality of life rather than curative treatment. He described the daughter’s remark as “a dangerous statement” that could set the tides against the medical team and put a bad label on health care workers. The doctor also advised against seeking herbal cures for advanced cancer, stating: “There are no herbs that will treat a stage 4 cancer. These concoctions will end up damaging more organs and causing more complications. You’d end up wasting money and causing more problems.”
Hassan, 66, is a veteran of the Nigerian film industry with a career spanning more than four decades. He has featured in more than 300 movies and is one of the most recognisable faces in Yoruba cinema. He began his acting career in 1981 after working as a mechanic and later left his job with the water corporation in 1994 to pursue acting full-time. Over the years, he has appeared in numerous films, including Atitebi, Agbelebu, Agbo-Odaju, Danfo Driver, Amerah, Aníkúlápó, Bank Alert, and IGE. His most recent film appearance was in Oye Agba, where he starred alongside Olaniyan Tosin and Jaye Kuti. Hassan had previously made headlines after revealing he battled a “strange sickness” for seven years, diagnosed as chronic ulcer, during which he “couldn’t eat anything except pap” and started “vomiting blood for seven months.”
As of the time of filing this report, the actor’s management and family were yet to issue an official statement detailing the specific hospital, diagnosis, or type of cancer involved. The family has continued to appeal for urgent medical intervention as Ogogo’s battle with stage-four cancer intensifies, urging anyone who can assist with his treatment to reach out via direct message on Instagram.
Veteran Nollywood Actor Ogogo Battles Stage-4 Cancer as Daughters Beg for Treatment
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