The family of veteran Yoruba actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, is facing another disturbing twist in its desperate search for treatment for the ailing actor.
Days after publicly revealing that the 66-year-old movie star is battling stage-four cancer, one of his daughters, Kira Taiwo, has accused some people claiming to offer help of attempting to profit from the family’s ordeal.
Kira made the allegation during an emotional TikTok live session on Saturday, where she broke down while speaking about her father’s worsening condition and the financial pressure allegedly coming from some individuals presenting themselves as potential helpers.
According to her, some people had approached the family with supposed solutions but attached staggering financial demands to their offers.
She mentioned figures ranging from N800,000 to N5 million, $11,000 and $18,000, stressing that the family could not afford such demands.
Kira said the family’s priority was not raising money but finding a credible medical solution that could give her father another chance.
She also revealed that the crisis was beginning to affect her own health, saying she needed to check her blood pressure because she was no longer coping well emotionally.
The latest outburst comes after Kira and her sister, Lima Taiwo, separately went online earlier this month to plead for urgent medical assistance for their father.
The daughters disclosed that Ogogo had been diagnosed with stage-four cancer and appealed to Nigerians, cancer specialists, hospitals and anyone with access to credible treatment options to come to their aid.
Lima had said the family only became aware of the seriousness of their father’s condition about three weeks earlier because his physical appearance had not initially suggested that he was critically ill.
She stressed that they were not asking Nigerians for cash, but were desperate to find a medical expert or facility capable of taking over his treatment.
Kira similarly said doctors had informed the family that chemotherapy could no longer be administered to the actor. She then appealed to anyone who could help find a specialist or treatment option to contact the family.
She also acknowledged the financial assistance of Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, saying he had been helping to settle the actor’s medical bills.
‘My big daddy is not fine’
But beyond the medical and financial struggle, Kira revealed the emotional devastation the illness has caused within the family.
She spoke particularly about her father’s brother, whom she affectionately called her “big daddy”.
According to Kira, she learnt from the family’s group chat that her uncle had become deeply worried about Ogogo and had asked whether his brother was going to die.
She said the bond between the two brothers was exceptionally strong, making the situation painful for the entire family.
Kira said she believed her uncle was also struggling emotionally and was “not fine” because of Ogogo’s condition.
‘I don’t want my daddy to die’
The emotional strain appeared overwhelming for Kira, who said she had withdrawn from social media because seeing pictures of her father had become difficult for her.
She said she could not imagine what life would look like if anything happened to the actor, describing herself as deeply attached to her father.
Kira also recalled seeing Ogogo in severe pain and said he had expressed his fear of dying.
The family’s appeals have generated widespread concern among fans and colleagues in the Yoruba movie industry, with several entertainers rallying support for the veteran actor.
The situation has also triggered misinformation online.
Reports falsely claiming that Ogogo had died circulated on social media, forcing his family to publicly dismiss the reports as fake.
There has also been some confusion over the family’s claim that hospitals had stopped treating the actor.
A doctor who commented on the situation explained that, in advanced cancer cases, doctors may recommend palliative care when further chemotherapy or disease-directed treatment is unlikely to provide sufficient benefit. This does not necessarily mean that all medical care has stopped.
Ogogo, who has spent more than four decades in the Nigerian film industry, is one of the prominent figures in Yoruba-language cinema and has featured in more than 300 films.
His career has made him a familiar face to generations of Nigerian movie lovers.
For now, his daughters say the family remains focused on one thing — finding a credible treatment option for their father and keeping him alive.
Don’t Miss Out! Join our WhatsApp Channel for instant news updates. Click here to join
ALSO READ:
Doctor Explains Ogogo’s ‘Refused Treatment’ Drama, Warns Against Cancer herbs
