Ogogo’s daughters appeal to hospitals, cancer specialists as they seek treatment for veteran actor
The family of veteran Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, has appealed for urgent medical assistance as the actor battles an advanced stage of cancer.
His daughters, Lima and Kira Taiwo, made emotional appeals in separate Instagram videos on Monday, asking hospitals, cancer specialists and medical professionals who may be able to take on his case to come forward.
The daughters said their 66-year-old father’s condition had deteriorated significantly and claimed that hospitals were no longer willing to continue his treatment, including chemotherapy.
Lima, who struggled to hold back tears during her video, stressed that the family was not seeking financial donations but was desperately looking for medical professionals or a facility willing to treat the actor.
“Hello everybody, good evening. I’m here to ask for help from my daddy. He has cancer and it’s really, really bad,” she said.
“And the hospitals are refusing to treat him. At least, please, give this man a chance. Nobody wants to do anything.”
According to Lima, the family only became aware of the severity of Hassan’s condition about three weeks ago. She said the actor’s physical appearance had initially given the family little indication 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 subsequently called on individuals with connections to cancer specialists or hospitals capable of handling complex cases to contact the family.
“We’re willing to try anything. We’re not here to ask for money. Nobody’s here to ask for money,” Lima added.
The appeal became increasingly emotional as she spoke about the possibility of losing her father.
“Please, I can’t watch my daddy die. I can’t. I can’t. Please, I’m begging you,” she pleaded.
Daughter confirms stage-four diagnosis
In a separate video, Kira Taiwo confirmed that her father had been diagnosed with stage-four cancer and said the family had been told that chemotherapy could no longer be administered.
“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,” Kira said.
She also appealed to medical professionals and others with access to possible treatment options to come forward.
“If you can treat my daddy, if you can start chemo for him, whether it’s medical or herbs, please, I’m begging you,” she said.
Kira expressed gratitude to Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, for supporting the family during the difficult period and helping to settle medical expenses.
“He has been the one helping us, he has been the one footing the bills,” she said.
However, she reiterated that the immediate priority was not raising money but finding someone capable of providing treatment for her father.
Family describes actor’s suffering
The actor’s daughter became emotional while describing the pain her father was experiencing, saying she had never seen him suffer to such an extent.
She also disclosed that Hassan had expressed fear about dying.
“He’s saying that he doesn’t want to die. Please, I’ve never seen my daddy in that kind of pain before,” she said.
The family’s public appeal has drawn attention to the seriousness of the actor’s condition, while they continue to seek urgent intervention from medical professionals and facilities that may be able to assess and treat him.
As of the time of the report, the family had not publicly disclosed the specific type of cancer diagnosed or identified the hospital where the actor had been receiving treatment.
A career spanning decades
Taiwo Hassan remains one of the most recognisable names in Yoruba-language cinema. Born in 1959, the veteran actor has built a career spanning more than four decades and has appeared in hundreds of films. Recent profiles continue to describe him as a prominent figure in the Yoruba film industry.
Popularly known as Ogogo, Hassan has also worked as a producer and director and has remained active in Nollywood for decades.
His daughter Kira has previously spoken publicly about her close relationship with her father, describing him as supportive of her career and noting that he regularly made time to feature in her content.
The family is now seeking urgent medical assistance as Hassan faces what his daughters described as an advanced stage of cancer, appealing to hospitals, specialists and other medical professionals who may be able to offer further treatment options.