Veteran actor explains why family cannot move ailing Taiwo Hassan despite hundreds of offers for treatment
Veteran Nollywood actor Jide Kosoko has appealed to Nigerians and fans across the world to continue praying for ailing actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, as he remains under hospital care.
Kosoko, who spoke on behalf of Ogogo’s family and colleagues, said the actor had received an overwhelming number of offers from people willing to provide medical, spiritual, traditional and other forms of assistance.
However, he explained that Ogogo’s current condition makes it extremely difficult to move him from the hospital where he is receiving treatment to alternative facilities or locations.
In a statement shared on his Instagram page on Wednesday, Kosoko expressed appreciation to the numerous individuals who had shown concern and offered assistance since news of Ogogo’s health challenges became public.
He said the family was grateful for the goodwill but faced a practical challenge in responding to the numerous offers.
“We have received offers from more than 300, and even over 500 people, each sincerely believing that they have something that could help him,” Kosoko 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?”
Family appreciates offers
Kosoko appealed to individuals who had offered traditional, spiritual or specialised treatments not to interpret the family’s inability to bring Ogogo to them as a rejection of their goodwill.
He said the actor’s condition required careful consideration, particularly because of the difficulty and risks associated with moving a patient receiving intensive medical care from one location to another.
“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,” he said.
According to him, the family does not doubt the sincerity of those offering assistance and remains deeply touched by the support that has come from within and outside Nigeria.
“Please understand that our inability to bring him to anyone does not mean that we do not appreciate you, nor does it mean that we doubt your intentions or your desire to help,” he added.
“On the contrary, we are deeply touched by the overwhelming love and concern that people across the world have shown towards him.”
‘Keep praying, keep supporting us’
The veteran actor urged well-wishers to continue supporting Ogogo from wherever they were, stressing that their prayers and encouragement remained important to the family.
“Therefore, we encourage you to continue doing whatever you can from your respective locations and comfort zones. Keep praying. Keep supporting us. Keep believing with us,” Kosoko stated.
His appeal comes amid growing public concern over the health of the veteran actor following an emotional disclosure by his daughters, Shakira and Haleemah Hassan.
The daughters had earlier shared a video online in which they revealed that their father was battling stage-four cancer and appealed for assistance as the family sought appropriate specialised care.
Their disclosure triggered an outpouring of support from colleagues, fans and members of the public, with several prominent Nollywood personalities joining efforts to support the actor and his family.
Among those who publicly mobilised support were actors Femi Adebayo and Toyin Abraham, as concern over Ogogo’s condition spread across social media.
Calls for caution
The development has also prompted medical concerns over the kind of treatment being recommended to the family.
A medical doctor, commenting on the situation, explained that treatment at the advanced stage of cancer often places significant emphasis on palliative care, with the objective of controlling pain and other symptoms while preserving the patient’s quality of life.
The doctor also cautioned members of the public against recommending unverified herbal mixtures or concoctions, warning that such substances could potentially interfere with treatment or further compromise a patient’s condition.
Kosoko’s latest statement makes clear that Ogogo remains in the care of medical professionals at a hospital and that the family is not in a position to move him around to different locations in response to the numerous offers of treatment.
For now, the veteran actor has asked Nigerians and Ogogo’s admirers to respect the family’s position, continue offering support and, above all, keep the actor in their prayers as he undergoes treatment.