- ‘We’re Not Asking For Money, Just Save Our Father’
The daughters of veteran Yoruba actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, have appealed for urgent medical assistance for their father, revealing that he is battling stage-four cancer.
The actor’s daughters, Lima and Kira Taiwo, made separate emotional appeals on Instagram on Monday, asking Nigerians, well-wishers and medical professionals with experience in cancer treatment to help save their father.
Lima, in a video posted on her Instagram page, said the actor’s condition had deteriorated and that hospitals had refused to continue treating him.
Struggling to hold back tears, she appealed to anyone with connections to a hospital or medical personnel willing to take up her father’s case.
“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.
According to Lima, the family only discovered the extent of the actor’s condition about three weeks ago, despite the fact that his appearance did not initially suggest that he was seriously ill.
“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.
She stressed that the family was not seeking financial assistance, but wanted medical professionals or facilities willing to treat the actor.
“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.
Lima also acknowledged the support of a relative who, according to her, had stepped in to assist the family 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 ended the appeal in tears, saying she could not bear to watch her father die.
“But if he’s willing to do anything, please, if you know somebody that knows somebody that will be willing to treat him, would you really appreciate it? Please, I can’t watch my daddy die. I can’t. I can’t. Please. Please, I’m begging you. Please. Please,” she said.
In a separate Instagram video posted on Monday, Kira also appealed for help and disclosed that her father’s cancer was at stage four.
“Hello everyone, I’m here for my daddy. He has cancer and is in stage 4. The hospital is saying that they cannot treat him again, like they can’t give him chemo again,” she said.
Kira appealed to anyone who could provide cancer treatment for the actor, including chemotherapy, to contact the family.
She also expressed appreciation to Senator Yayi, whom she said had been supporting the family and paying the medical bills.
“And I really, really, really love to appreciate Senator Yayi. He has been the one helping us, he has been the one footing the bills,” she said.
Like her sister, Kira emphasised that the family was not asking for money, but for medical intervention that could give their father another chance.
“What I’m here for, what I’m here for is that if you can treat my daddy, if you can start chemo for him, whether it’s medical or herbs, please, I’m begging you, guys, I’m begging you, any help, anything, anybody that you know that can treat cancer, please, please, I’m begging you,” she said.
She urged anyone who knew a medical professional or facility capable of treating cancer to contact her, her sister or the actor directly.
“Please, please, if you can treat my daddy, please send me a DM. I’ll be checking my phone. Please, I don’t want my daddy to die,” Kira said.
Kira became emotional as she spoke about her father’s condition, saying she had never seen him in such pain.
“God, give me strength. I’m suffering so bad. There’s no money, but if you know anybody that can treat my daddy, Andrew, please,” she said.
She added that her father had expressed his fear of dying.
“He’s saying that he doesn’t want to die. Please, I’ve never seen my daddy in that kind of pain before.”
Hassan, 66, is a veteran of the Nigerian film industry whose career spans more than four decades.
He has featured in more than 300 movies and is one of the most recognisable faces in Yoruba cinema.
As of the time of filing this report, the actor’s management and family were yet to issue an official statement detailing the specific hospital, diagnosis or type of cancer involved.
The family’s appeals, however, have placed renewed attention on the actor’s condition, with his daughters asking for one thing above all else — a medical team or facility willing to take up their father’s treatment.
