Palliative Care, Not Abandonment: Doctor Clears the Air on Ogogo’s Stage-Four Cancer Treatment

The daughters of veteran Yoruba actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, recently made emotional public appeals claiming that hospitals had refused to continue treating their father, who is battling stage-four cancer. The family’s plea, shared via Instagram videos, sparked widespread concern and sympathy across Nigeria. However, a medical doctor has stepped forward to offer a professional clarification, explaining that what the family may be experiencing is not a refusal of care but a standard medical transition to palliative care. Dr. Olusina Ajidahun, a medical practitioner known as The Bearded Dr Sina on X, responded to the daughters’ videos by urging the public to understand the difference between curative treatment and end-of-life symptom management. He emphasized that stage-four cancer, by definition, has spread beyond its original site and is often no longer responsive to curative interventions such as chemotherapy. At this point, medical teams typically shift focus to palliative care, which prioritizes the patient’s comfort, pain relief, and quality of life rather than attempting to eliminate the disease. Dr. Ajidahun warned that the daughters’ choice of words—particularly the phrase “they don’t want to treat my father again”—could be dangerously misleading. He noted that such language may create a negative perception of healthcare workers and potentially trigger hostility against medical professionals, especially given the recent tensions in Nigeria’s health sector. He clarified that he is not part of Ogogo’s medical team and was offering his expert opinion independently, based solely on the videos he had seen online.

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When Lima Taiwo, one of Ogogo’s daughters, posted her tearful video on Instagram, she disclosed that the family only became aware of the full extent of her father’s illness about three weeks ago, as his outward appearance had not initially reflected how serious his condition truly was. She pleaded with anyone who could connect them to a healthcare provider willing to take on her father’s case, emphasizing repeatedly that the family was not seeking money but medical intervention. She also acknowledged the support of a relative who had stepped in to help during the crisis. Her sister, Kira Taiwo, made a separate video appeal, confirming that their father’s cancer was at stage four and that the hospital had informed them that chemotherapy could no longer be administered. She became emotional as she described never having seen her father in so much pain and revealed that he had expressed fear of dying. Kira also mentioned that Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) had been helping with medical bills, but the family remained desperate for any form of treatment that could give their father another chance. Both daughters stressed that their plea was for medical assistance, not financial donations, and they appealed to anyone with connections to healthcare providers who could take on the actor’s case.

Dr. Ajidahun further explained that when patients reach stage-four cancer, chemotherapy and other available therapies are often exhausted. At that juncture, the medical protocol shifts to palliative care, which is a recognized and compassionate form of end-of-life care for terminal diseases. He stressed that this does not mean the patient is being abandoned; rather, it means the medical team is now focused on managing associated symptoms such as pain, breathing difficulties, and nausea, while ensuring the patient maintains the best possible quality of life in their remaining time. He described the daughters’ statement as a “dangerous statement” that could inadvertently set the public against the very people trying to help their father. He also expressed sympathy for the Ogogo family, acknowledging the emotional toll of watching a loved one battle advanced cancer, and encouraged them to work closely with the medical team to achieve the best possible outcomes within the limits of the disease.

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In addition to clarifying the medical process, Dr. Ajidahun issued a strong warning against the use of herbal remedies for stage-four cancer. This came after one of Ogogo’s daughters mentioned being open to herbs as a possible treatment option. He categorically stated that no herbs can treat stage-four cancer, and cautioned that unverified concoctions could cause further damage to vital organs and lead to additional complications. He advised the public to trust their doctors and to collaborate with medical professionals rather than seeking unproven alternatives that could hasten deterioration. He urged the family and the wider public to understand that stage-four cancer means the disease has left the primary organ and spread to other sites in the body, making curative treatment unrealistic. He reiterated that doctors always want what is best for their patients and that working hand-in-hand with the medical team offers the best path forward, even in terminal cases.

Taiwo Hassan, who is 66 years old, is a veteran of the Nigerian film industry with a career spanning over four decades. He has featured in more than 300 films and remains one of the most recognizable faces in Yoruba cinema, with notable roles in productions like Aníkúlápó. Over the years, he has received several accolades, including a City People Movie Lifetime Achievement Award and a nomination for an Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor. As of this report, neither Ogogo nor his family has issued a detailed official statement regarding the specific hospital, diagnosis, or type of cancer involved, and the actor’s management has not publicly commented on the controversy. However, the public discourse continues to highlight the urgent need for better awareness around cancer care, palliative treatment, and the emotional realities faced by families navigating terminal illnesses in Nigeria.

Lagos Pensioners Give Sanwo-Olu 19-Day Ultimatum: Implement Wage Award or Face ‘Mother of All Protests’

Over 50,000 Contributory Pension Scheme retirees accuse government of foot-dragging, plan warning protest on August 24 and mass demonstration on August 31 if demands are not met by August 19.

Thousands of pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme in Lagos State have issued a 19-day ultimatum to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, demanding the immediate implementation of approved pension increases and wage awards for retirees. The pensioners have warned that failure to meet their demands will result in a “mother of all protests” on August 31, 2026, involving over 50,000 retirees across the state. The ultimatum, contained in a July 31, 2026, letter signed by the council chairman, Michael Omisande, and addressed to Governor Sanwo-Olu, has thrown the spotlight on the growing frustration among Lagos State pensioners who say they have been left in limbo while their colleagues under the Defined Benefits Scheme have already started receiving enhanced payments. Copies of the letter were also sent to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police for adequate protection.

The retirees, under the aegis of the National Union of Pensioners, Contributory Pension Scheme, Lagos State Council, said they had become frustrated by what they described as prolonged delays by the Lagos State Pension Commission in processing the adjustment. They said the proposed increase followed a template transmitted to the Lagos State Government in January 2026 by the national leadership of the NUP, CPS, for the implementation of the pension increase/wage award approved for federal retirees. According to the pensioners, the matter had been discussed at a meeting convened by Governor Sanwo-Olu at the Government House, Alausa, on May 22, 2025, attended by representatives of the pensioners, LASPEC, and members of the state cabinet. Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat subsequently intervened, while the Director-General of LASPEC, Babalola Obilana, confirmed receipt of the template and said an actuary had been engaged in February to determine the financial implications. However, the pensioners said they were yet to see the adjustment implemented, accusing LASPEC of “foot-dragging.” They further said that during a visit to LASPEC in May, the commission’s Director-General informed them that the actuary had submitted its report but that further clarification was required before it could be forwarded to the governor for consideration and approval. The pensioners lamented that the delay was taking a toll on them, saying, “We are dying daily due to paucity of funds to take care of ourselves after serving the state meritoriously for 35 years.”

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Consequently, the union directed the state government to ensure that the relevant pension accounts were credited through the Pension Fund Administrators by August 19, 2026. The letter stated: “In view of the foregoing, sir, we are compelled to issue an ultimatum, effective 1st August, 2026, to the State Government to credit our accounts at the various Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs, by 19th of August, 2026.” The pensioners warned that failure to meet the deadline would result in a mass demonstration. “If our demands are not met, sir, at the expiration of the ultimatum, over 50,000 CPS pensioners will have no choice but to stage a ‘Mother of Protest’ on Monday, 31st August, 2026,” they warned.

In a follow-up to the ultimatum, the union held an emergency EXCO and Zonal Coordinators meeting on Monday, June 17, 2026, at the Lagos Pensioners House, Oshodi, where they resolved to hold a warning protest on Monday, August 24, 2026, at strategic locations across all zones in Lagos State. According to the resolutions signed by Chairman Michael Omisande, members are to arrive at meeting points by 8am, move to designated locations by 9am, and the Chairman’s speech will be read at the protest grounds by 10am. Uniform banners and placards will be provided by the State EXCO, and Coordinators have been tasked with ensuring effective mobilisation of members. Police authorities have also been informed of the new development in anticipation of the mother of all protests tentatively fixed for August 31. The Lagos State Council Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Funmi Sessi, who attended the meeting, appealed to the government to act fast to avoid confrontation. “We therefore, appeal to our members in Lagos and its environs to be prepared for the mother of all protest, if government fails to honour the agreement,” she said. The NUPCPS Lagos State Council Principal Secretary, Olagbaye Johnson, also urged pensioners to remain patient, noting that federal pensioners waited for eleven months before their own wage award was implemented. He said: “We pray by the time when the implementation shall come, nobody among us shall be missing. We shall all reap the fruits of our labour. Our labour shall never be in vain. Pensioners united can never be defeated. Solidarity forever.”

Reacting to the development, the Lagos State Government said it had not received funds from the Federal Government for the pension increase and was funding the additional liability for eligible state pensioners from its own resources. The government said the claim that federal funds meant for pensioners were being held by the state in a bank to generate interest was incorrect. According to the government, Lagos had already implemented the approved increase for eligible pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme, while the process for CPS retirees was still ongoing. The difference in the treatment of the two schemes was due to the structure of the CPS and the need to determine the state’s financial exposure before implementation. “Given the structure of the CPS and the need to determine the state’s full financial exposure accurately, an independent actuary has been engaged to assess the liability and provide the appropriate basis for implementation,” the government said. It added that comprehensive data on affected CPS pensioners had been requested from relevant PFAs and Approved Existing Schemes to validate the number of eligible beneficiaries, determine the applicable adjustments, and establish the overall financial implications. The government therefore rejected the suggestion that it was deliberately delaying or withholding the benefit. “The Lagos State Government, therefore, wishes to assure its pensioners that there is no deliberate delay or withholding of funds. The necessary work is being undertaken to ensure that the CPS component is implemented accurately, transparently and sustainably,” it said. The government also said pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme were already receiving the enhanced pension, explaining that where a Lagos retiree’s pension included a Federal Government component, the increase on that portion had already been paid by the Federal Government, adding that Lagos would not duplicate the payment.

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Earlier in May 2026, the Lagos State Government disclosed that it had paid a total of ₦8,042,264,264.91 to retirees under both the Contributory Pension Scheme and Defined Benefit Scheme as part of efforts to strengthen workers’ welfare. The Head of Service, Bode Agoro, said the payment reflects the administration’s commitment to the welfare of both serving and retired public servants. Agoro also noted that a ₦50,000 palliative was paid to public servants in May 2026, while a ₦32,000 monthly pension increment was approved for pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme. The state government said it remained committed to the welfare of pensioners and urged them to be patient as the process for the CPS beneficiaries was completed.

The Director-General of the National Pension Commission, Ms. Omolola Oloworaran, has committed to engaging with Governor Sanwo-Olu to resolve critical issues affecting pensioners in the state, focusing on accelerated implementation of pension hikes for CPS retirees, settlement of 57-month arrears for Defined Benefit Scheme pensioners, and payment of 12-month wage award arrears. The PenCom boss urged the senior citizens to exercise patience while LASPEC concludes the determination of financial implications, noting that seeing retirees protesting on the streets would be a “distraction” to the President’s vision for social security. The Lagos State Council of the NLC has pledged to maintain regular engagement with LASPEC to monitor the progress of pension calculations and ensure retirees receive their due entitlements promptly.

The state government has urged pensioners to remain calm and patient as the necessary constitutional and legislative steps are completed, assuring them that their welfare remains a priority. According to available information, the actuarial evaluators have completed the calculations and assessment of the wage award approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This marks an important milestone in the process, as the technical evaluation required for implementation has now been concluded. The next stage is for Governor Sanwo-Olu to present the proposal to the Lagos State House of Assembly for legislative consideration. Once the House reviews and approves the proposal, the implementation process can proceed in line with the relevant legal and administrative procedures. Stakeholders hope that the remaining stages of the process will be handled promptly so that eligible pensioners can begin to benefit from the approved wage award as soon as possible. The welfare of retirees remains an important issue, and timely action would provide much-needed relief and reassurance to Lagos State Contributory Pensioners. Many pensioners have eagerly awaited progress on the wage award, hoping it will help improve their financial well-being in the face of rising living costs. While the process has taken time, the completion of the actuarial evaluation is a positive development that indicates progress is being made. Pensioners are therefore advised to remain calm and patient as the necessary constitutional and legislative steps are completed.