- Veteran actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, is battling stage-four cancer and remains under hospital care.
- Nollywood stars, including Femi Adebayo, Toyin Abraham and Jide Kosoko, have rallied support and sought specialist medical help for the actor.
- Ogogo’s family has received hundreds of offers of medical and spiritual assistance as Nigerians continue to pray for his recovery.
Nollywood actors, family members, friends and fans have rallied around veteran actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, as he battles stage-four cancer.
Eko Hot Blog reports the 66-year-old actor, who has spent more than four decades in the Nigerian film industry, is currently receiving hospital care as efforts intensify to explore further treatment options.
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Concern over his health became public after his daughters, Lima and Kira Taiwo, made emotional appeals for assistance. In videos shared online, the sisters disclosed that their father was battling advanced cancer and appealed to medical professionals and facilities capable of reviewing his case and offering possible treatment options.
Lima alleged that some hospitals had declined to continue treating her father, while Kira said doctors at their current hospital had informed the family that chemotherapy was no longer an option.
The sisters clarified that their social media appeals were primarily aimed at finding medical expertise and suitable treatment facilities rather than soliciting money.
Their appeals prompted an immediate response from members of the entertainment industry and Nigerians.
Actor Femi Adebayo urged the public to support the family in finding medical professionals and facilities that could review Hassan’s medical records and determine available treatment options.
Toyin Abraham also joined the mobilisation efforts, sharing a video of Ogogo’s daughters and asking anyone who could assist to contact them.
Veteran actor Jide Kosoko, who has been involved in efforts to support Ogogo, said more than 300 people had reached out with offers to help. According to him, the offers included medical, traditional and spiritual interventions.
Kosoko, however, explained that coordinating the offers had become difficult because Ogogo remained under hospital care and moving him between different locations could pose serious risks given his condition.
He appealed to those offering assistance not to feel rejected if the family could not bring Ogogo to them, stressing that the family appreciated the widespread concern for the actor.
Meanwhile, several prominent Nollywood figures, including Kosoko, Fausat Balogun, popularly known as Madam Saje, Yinka Quadri, Rotimi Salami, Mr Latin, Adewale Elesho and Antar Laniyan, were seen in a video praying for Ogogo’s recovery.
The prayer session reflected the strong solidarity within the film industry as colleagues continue to support the veteran actor.
The Ogun State 2027 All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Solomon Adeola, has also offered assistance to Ogogo. Following his intervention, the actor was admitted for immediate treatment.
As the public continues to seek ways to help, medical experts have cautioned against interpreting the decision to move a patient to palliative care as abandonment.
Doctor and content creator Olusina Ajidahun explained that patients with advanced cancer may transition to palliative care when chemotherapy or other disease-directed treatments have been exhausted or are no longer considered appropriate.
Palliative care focuses on managing pain and other symptoms while improving the quality of life of patients and their families.
Meanwhile, an old controversy surrounding Ogogo’s health has resurfaced amid the current concerns.
In 2011, the actor suffered a serious health challenge that left him noticeably lean. At the time, unverified claims circulated online alleging that he had attempted to traffic drugs by ingesting them and that the substances had burst inside his stomach.
However, the claim was never substantiated, and there was no evidence that Ogogo was arrested, interrogated or charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency over drug trafficking.
For now, his colleagues, family and admirers continue to rally around him, with prayers and medical support being offered as he receives treatment.
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