The country’s economic woes has ensured that many Nigerians are incapable of getting quality healthcare when ill. This development has also affected some Nigerian celebrities, who in the face of health issues, have had to resort to financial help from the public even as others remained defiant. JOE AGBRO JR., OVWE MEDEME and DUPE AYINLA-OLASUNKAMI write:
NATTY STILL NEEDS HELP
HE brought many smiles to Nigerians as an actor in the 1970s and 1980s. But today, the plight of comic actor Natty of New Masquerade fame who is down with partial paralysis is still attracting donations from Nigerians. He is among a growing list of Nigerian stars forced to depend on the goodwill of others to battle medical challenges.
In June 2014, some mischievous reports pronounced him dead and the news swept across the Nigerian entertainment scene that Natty of New Masquerade fame was dead. It turned out to be a lie. But what is fact is that the actor whose real name is Romanus Amuta, has been battling ill-health. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 and was diagnosed with paralysis. No one could deny that.
In fact, the executives of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, aside refuting the passing away of the actor, intervened in assisting with his healthcare. The AGN President Ibinabo Fiberisima, wasted little time in being with him.
Refuting the actor’s demise on her Facebook account, Fiberisima posted a picture of her and Natty in Natty’s home and wrote that she spoke to him and that he was alright.
“I just told uncle Romanus (Natty of new masquerade) he looks better now,” she said.
“He managed a large smile and said “now that I have seen you I am free now and very happy. I am defintely going to get better. Thank you ada’m.’”
His first son, Chukwuma Amuta, a medical doctor, had also said he would take care os his dad to the best of his ability.
Hitherto, in a 2013 interview, the Enugu-based actor had asked for financial help from Nigerians. According to him, he acted ‘poor’ and he didn’t want to die ‘poor’.
Some cast of the rested New Masquerade include James Iroha (Giringory Akabuogu), Christy Essien-Igbokwe (Apena), Claude Eke(Jegede Shokoya), all of whom he starred alongside Amuta in the comedy series, passed away between 2011 and 2013.
ALARIWO SOUGHT $130, 000 MEDICAL COSTS
HE claimed he was never broke. But when illness plagued Rotimi Martins, who is more known as Alariwo of Africa, he had to come out, to shout to the world that he needed their help to raise about $130, 000, which was equivalent to N26m last year, the sum needed to treat his condition which was diagnosed as Varicocele, which is an enlargement of veins inside the scrotum.
In an interview, he had shared his pains at that period last year.
“I have been going through a lot, these past weeks,” said Alariwo who celebrated 20 years of marriage with his wife in June.
“My wife has been in the hospital for over one month. She has been down with acute pulmonary embolism. It has been very tough, but God has taken control. The doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital said only a few people could survive the ailment. I am happy that she is one of them.
“But her treatment has cost me quite a lot of money. I spent an average of N54,000 everyday for about 19 days. Apart from this, I was buying a drug called Clexin at N37,000 for her every week.”
He had to sell some of his properties, including his car to take care of the medical expenses.
Alariwo could be considered lucky that some of his friends like Ayo Animashaun, Otunba Sesan Rufai helped while he said Julius Agwu donated $35, 000 to help him.
OJB GIVES UP
NEWS hit the web on July 3rd, 2013 at about 10.30pm that the Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi had approved for the full sum of $100,000 Dollars needed for OJB Jezreel’s kidney transplant.
But three years after the kidney transplant operation in India, the popular Nigerian music producer, singer and multi-instrumentalist, passed on at the age of 49, before his 50th birthday.
According to information gathered, it was revealed that in 2015, after his return from India, the producer had suffered a setback. But the embattled song writer and producer was said to have refuted the rumour through an SMS broadcast.
One of his friends, Mr Kool in his tribute stated that OJB, have kept mute about his condition relapsing; as a result of what he encountered, when he first ask for funds from the public in 2013.
According to Mr Kool on his tribute to the late music producer, “Yes, you told me your health was failing again, and sadly you refused to make it public because of prejudice; you said you refused to seek help again because you were shy and embarrassed because the last time you did, some said you made millions and you wan use the money buy house.”
The renowned and multiple awards winning music producer, before his departure according to information teamed up with The Bowtie Club with support from some well-meaning institutions to launch a Kidney Trust Fund; with the sole aim of galvanising funds towards assisting those suffering from kidney problem to get treatment abroad.
LEO MEZIE STILL HOPES FOR THE BEST
FOR ailing Nollywood actor, Leo Mezie, funds for his kidney transplant is still a long way from what is being required for his surgery. He needs N10m to get a kidney transplant.
The actor has been battling the ailment for several months on his own going on dialysis weekly which has caused him fortunes. With the recent passing away of entertainers as a result of financial limitation, it is with great expectation that Nollywood celebrities will raise up to the rescue of their own.
According to the actor’s wife, Maureen, some people have been using their social platforms to create awareness for the fund raising, but the question is, will that the donations come in time to save the actor; who is said to be in urgent need of the transplant.
Speaking to The Nation, Nollywood actress Chioma Okoye, in charge of Nollywood group; where each actor is expected to contribute a sum of N20, 000 each, revealed that the contributions from colleagues have been poor. But noted that another campaign group has been formed on her Instagram page to give people access to the actor’s account details, where the sum of N2,000 can be paid to fast-track the funding.
The illness is said to have reached an advance stage and urgent financial assistance to forestall the worse is needed.
NOMORELOSS DIDN’T WANT ANYBODY BOTHERED
CELEBRATED singer, Solomon Osinuga, aka Nomoreloss was known for being selfless. He championed the raising of funds for his fellow artiste, OJB Jezreel, now late, during the time of his illness.
So his demise came as a shock to Nigerians and Nigerian entertainers. This is even moreso because almost no one had an inkling that the singer and music maker was ill and in critical condition.
According to those close to him, as a selfless person, he never wanted anyone to experience the pain he went through.
As narrated by the late singer’s brother, Ademola Osinuga, he never wanted anyone to experience the pain he went through. He always called everybody to tell them he was fine, regardless of his condition.
“On his last night at the hospital, he made it clear to everyone that he was fine. In fact, he asked me to get him cranberry juice on my way to the hospital the following morning. When we got there in the morning, we were told he had passed on.
“It was pretty difficult. We did everything together. He never took ‘no’ for an answer. He was not vain or flashy and could not pretend about anything. He was not interested in the flamboyance in the entertainment industry, he just wanted to sing,” he continued.
“The only regret and pain I have is that he kept so many secrets to himself. That is a mysterious thing I cannot explain right now. He was not very open. He kept telling everyone he was fine even at his last moments. His passing is still a big shock,” he said in an interview with a newspaper house.
Nomoreloss came into public consciousness in 2002 when he featured in Ruggedman’s classic beef song, Ehen. Prior to that, he was a presenter on the music TV show Groovoidz.
MUNA KEPT HIS BUSINESS PRIVATE
AS narrated by close friends of this popular actor, Muna Obiekwe was a very private person. It is that attitude towards life that made him keep his ailment on the low, even when it became life threatening.
That, coupled with some sad occurrences that changed the course of his life. According to those close to him, the actor thought if he could survive the death of his parents in a ghastly motor accident and getting shot, he could also pull through the ailment.
Fellow actress, Ejiro Okurame, who happens to be his close friend and colleague, narrated how she had to seek financial help from her other colleagues in the industry like Mama G, Kanayo O. Kanayo and others. According to her, they gave some money
The way it was told, Muna was a very private person and didn’t want to burden anybody with his issues. Even the president of AGN, Ibinabo Fiberisima confessed that she had foreknowledge of his illness but that Muna didn’t paint a picture as is appeared
“Muna’s offence and crime was that he was a very private person. He was a secretive person. Even to my face, he hid something from me. But I didn’t take that on him. I still had to do what I did because of God. He’s my brother and he will forever remain my brother.”
On his demise, several insinuations emerged as to what killed the actor and father of two. Although it was established that he lost the battle to renal failure, an ailment which he had struggled with for a while, some accounts said that heavy drinking and smoking are some of the factors that triggered the sickness.
Even the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Ibinabo Fiberisima confessed that though she got wind of his ailment from the actor himself, he didn’t paint a true picture of what he was going through.
