By Opeyemi Adelakun
The daughters of veteran Yoruba actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, have appealed for urgent medical assistance after disclosing that their father is battling stage-four cancer.
Lima and Kira Taiwo made separate emotional appeals on Instagram on Monday, asking Nigerians, well-wishers and medical professionals with expertise in cancer treatment to help their 66-year-old father.
In a video, Lima said the actor’s health had deteriorated significantly and that hospitals were no longer willing to continue treating him.
Taiwo, who struggled to hold back tears throughout the video, appealed to Nigerians and well-wishers to help her family find a hospital or medical personnel willing to treat her father, insisting that the family was not soliciting funds.
“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,” she said.
She explained that the family only became aware of the seriousness of his condition about three weeks ago, saying his appearance had initially given little indication of the severity of his illness.
According to her, the family is not seeking financial assistance, but is desperately looking for a hospital, oncologist or other qualified medical professional willing to take on her father’s case.
Lima also acknowledged the support of a relative who, she said, had stepped in to assist the family during the difficult period.
In a separate video, Kira confirmed that her father’s cancer had reached stage four, adding that the hospital treating him had reportedly said it could no longer continue chemotherapy.
She appealed to anyone with access to cancer treatment, including chemotherapy or other medically appropriate interventions, to contact the family.
Kira also expressed appreciation to Senator Yayi, whom she said had been helping the family by covering medical bills.
The emotional appeal became particularly distressing when Kira spoke about her father’s fear of death, saying she had never seen him in such severe pain.
“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.
Lima 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.
She urged anyone who knows a qualified medical professional or healthcare facility capable of managing advanced cancer cases to reach out to her, her sister or the actor.
Hassan, 66, is one of the most prominent figures in Yoruba-language cinema, with a career spanning more than four decades. He has appeared in more than 300 films and remains one of the best-known actors in the Nigerian film industry.
Leave a Reply