For more than four decades, actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, has been a familiar face in movies, portraying characters that have made him one of the most recognisable figures in the Nigerian film industry.

But in recent days, the 66-year-old actor has found himself at the centre of a health crisis, with his family, colleagues, friends and admirers rallying around him as he battles stage-four cancer.

The development has triggered an outpouring of concern, with medical professionals, cancer specialists, colleagues in Nollywood, traditional and spiritual practitioners, fans and other Nigerians offering assistance.

The latest crisis came into the public domain after Ogogo’s daughters, Lima and Kira Taiwo, made emotional appeals for help, saying their father urgently needed medical intervention.

In videos that quickly went viral, the sisters disclosed that Ogogo was battling stage-four cancer and appealed for assistance in finding medical professionals or facilities capable of reviewing his case and offering further treatment options.

Lima alleged that some hospitals had declined to continue treating her father, while Kira said doctors had informed the family that chemotherapy was no longer an option at their current hospital.

The sisters stressed that they turned to social media primarily to seek access to medical expertise and facilities, rather than to solicit money.

Their appeals triggered an immediate response from Nigerians and members of the entertainment industry.

Popular actor, Femi Adebayo, in a post on his X page on Monday, urged members of the public to help the family find medical professionals and facilities capable of reviewing Hassan’s medical records and providing treatment options.

He wrote, “Please let’s rally around our beloved Sir Taiwo Hassan, who is currently facing a serious health challenge battling cancer.”

Toyin Abraham was also among those who joined efforts to mobilise assistance for the veteran actor.

Abraham shared a video of Hassan’s daughters on her Instagram page, asking those who could help to contact the sisters or her.

“Pls kindly send dm to @kira_taiwo @limataiwo_ or me pls. Anyhow, anyone can help ejoor,” she wrote.

Meanwhile, veteran actor, Jide Kosoko, who has been involved in efforts to support Ogogo, disclosed in a recent statement that the family had received offers from more than 300 people who sincerely believed they had something that could help the actor.

According to him, the offers included medical and spiritual interventions.

Kosoko, however, explained that some of those offering spiritual assistance wanted the family to bring Ogogo to them. That, he said, was difficult because of the nature of the actor’s condition and the need to keep him under hospital care.

He said the challenge was not the willingness of Nigerians to help but how to coordinate the offers without exposing an already seriously ill patient to the risks associated with moving him from one location to another.

He stated, “The challenge is simply: Where do we take him to? And how do we move him from the hospital while he is receiving care? Please, do not feel offended or disappointed if we are unable to bring Ogogo to you for spiritual assistance or treatment.

“It is extremely difficult to move him from the hospital to different locations at this stage of his treatment, especially considering the large number of people who have offered to help.”

Kosoko explained that Ogogo remained under hospital care and that moving him around to meet different people offering treatment or spiritual interventions would be extremely difficult at this stage.

The veteran actor urged supporters to continue praying for Ogogo and supporting his family from wherever they were.

He also appealed to those who had reached out not to interpret the family’s inability to take Ogogo to them as a rejection of their intentions, or as a lack of appreciation or trust.

He said the family was deeply touched by the concern shown by Nigerians and people across the world.

This was even as a video made the rounds online on Friday, showing several prominent actors including Jide Kosoko, Fausat Balogun (Madam Saje), Yinka Quadri, Rotimi Salami, Mr Latin, Adewale Elesho and Antar Laniyan, gathered in a hall and seeking Allah’s mercy, divine intervention, strength and complete recovery for Ogogo.

The latest prayer session highlights the strong support, love and solidarity within Nollywood for the actor.

The Ogun State 2027 All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Solomon Adeola, also offered assistance to Ogogo.

Following his intervention, the actor was admitted for immediate treatment.

The flood of offers has, however, generated a broader question about the numerous medical, traditional and spiritual interventions being suggested to the family.

Some Nigerians have asked whether potentially useful treatment options being proposed to the family could be properly documented and made available to other Nigerians facing similar health challenges.

Others have questioned whether information being sent to Ogogo’s family could be shared more broadly with other families confronting serious illnesses.

However, a doctor and content creator, Olusina Ajidahun, has cautioned against interpreting the family’s account that hospitals were refusing to treat Ogogo as necessarily meaning that medical professionals had abandoned him.

He explained that patients with advanced cancer may move into palliative care when chemotherapy and other disease-directed treatments have been exhausted or are no longer considered appropriate.

Palliative care is specialised medical care for people living with serious illnesses. It focuses on relieving pain, symptoms and stress, with the goal of improving the quality of life of both the patient and the family.

Meanwhile, as concern over Ogogo’s health has grown, an old story about the actor has also resurfaced.

In 2011, Ogogo suffered a severe health challenge that left him noticeably lean. At the time, speculation about the possible cause of his illness circulated in some online and gossip circles.

One particularly damaging claim alleged that the actor had attempted to traffic drugs by ingesting them and that the substances had burst inside his stomach, causing his health crisis.

However, that claim was never confirmed.

There was no evidence that Ogogo was arrested, interrogated or charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency over drug trafficking. (Saturday PUNCH)

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