WHO WILL LOVE THE THESPIANS?

By Victory Aduragbemi

Entertainers do make us laugh, smile, weep, think and most times gratify our social needs with their creative offerings. As much as we enjoy entertainers and what is being displayed to us as viewers, most of us do not get to hear about some of them  overtime and we move on. This is simply because, the media do not bring to our faces what these entertainers go through. Sadly, we have come to think or see entertainers as non-humans that, can barely fall ill or even die.

In our moments of low, the entertainers are always available via different genres to help us get out of unpleasant situations. When our situations call for celebration, the moments of joy are incomplete without the inclusion of the entertainers. It is sad to see some entertainers become a shadow of themselves totally. Although, few bounce back in health but, others do not, they die.

Some of these actors’ health deteriorate so badly that they reach out to fans/public for funds. It is usually that bad. Actors, actresses, and those in the movie industry are not spirit beings that can’t fall sick or get down with serious ailments, once this is understood by fans and friends out there, there won’t be shock when news of such are put out and, when financial help is sought for.

Between 2020 and now, a lot of illnesses have been recorded among actors, actresses, film makers especially those in Nollywood. The unlucky few have lost their lives to ailments that has been dealt with for years, and some are still battling with illnesses.

Leonard Chimezie Onyemachi who has featured in several movies like, Labista, Total War, Heart of A Slave and, many others is currently battling a kidney disease, he survived about three years ago. Clem Ohamaeze was confined to his sick bed for almost two years due to his upper and lower limbs damaged as a result of an accident he got involved in.

According to Joke Silva, her husband, Olu Jacobs has been battling Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) for months which is why, he’s been away from the screens. In a recent video, Kemi Afolabi also mentioned she’s been diagnosed with Lupus and, she has only five years to live. Ojo Arowosafe popularly known as Fadeyi Oloro has been out of circulation owing to sickness. A veteran Yoruba actor named Atolagbe that just survived the doctors’ surgical blade recently was stranded at the hospita, because he could not offset the medical bills. John Okafor popularly known as Mr IBU has been receiving treatments over an undisclosed ailment. A lot of these celebrities need help as their situations are critical.

The list seems endless as there are quite a number of Nollywood celebrities who have lost their lives to the fight against one ailment or the other. Bruno Iwuoha, the Abia born actor died in 2021 after battling blindness and diabetes for years. Abiodun Aleja, who’s a collaborator with Kunle Afolayan and Tunde Kelani lost the fight to death at Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). Victor Olaotan, veteran actor in the TV series, “TINSEL”, died in 2021 after being disabled for almost 5 years as a result of an accident.

Rachel Oniga, the Nollywood actress was one of those who lost their live to sicknesses in the past year, she died after a brief illness of malaria and typhoid. Babatunde Omidina mostly known as, Baba Suwe left this shore to a permanent residence around November in 2021 after being confined to the sick bed for months. Karibi Fubara was diagnosed with kidney cancer and he lost the fight in December 2021. And just recently Adekunle Makinde Adetokunbo popularly known as Dejo Tunfulu died at the general hospital after a brief illness that lasted 48 hours.

We can go on and on but, we choose to put a stop here and say, may their souls rest in perfect peace. Fans, friend  and the public should show concerns, care and love to even the minutest of information heard about sickness from those around us and especially those who have one way or the other entertained us via the screens.

As much as it is very important for all the guilds and associations to quickly design am enduring health scheme for their members, it is equally essential for philanthropists, fans, friends, political elites and all other well meaning Nigerians to come to the aids of these creatives souls that had one time or the other put smiles on our faces.