Adeyanju urges Nigerians to help ailing actor Mr Ibu

Deji Adeyanju, a Nigerian activist and leader of the Concerned Nigerians group, has asked Nigerians to lend a helping hand to John Okafor, a veteran Nollywood actor, also known as Mr. Ibu, who is suffering from a severe ailment that could result in the amputation of his leg.

Adeyanju made the appeal in a video he sent to journalists on Thursday. He said that Mr. Ibu should benefit from the funds that patriotic Nigerians donated during the EndSARS protest and the Labour Party presidential campaign of Peter Obi.

He also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to contact the actor and his family and assist them in this hard time.

Mr. Ibu, who is famous for his humorous roles in Nollywood movies, had earlier sought assistance from his hospital bed on Wednesday. In a video posted on his Instagram page, the actor said he has been ill for several weeks and has been hospitalized. He said the doctor warned they might have to cut off his leg if other alternatives were exhausted without success.

His wife and daughter, in the video, also asked Nigerians to pray for them and offer financial support. His daughter said that she has been paying the bills for as long as the actor has been sick. She also emphasised that the family would like to fly him out of the country for better treatment.

Adeyanju, in his video, said that Mr. Ibu has made a huge contribution to the entertainment industry and the joy of Nigerians. He said that it is not right to neglect him in his hour of need. He urged Nigerians and well-wishers to donate any amount they could afford to help the actor.

He said, “Hello everyone, this is an appeal to every Nigerian to kindly help Mr. Ibu, who is currently sick. It does not matter how much you can donate. Let us help him.

“I also want to appeal to President Tinubu to kindly contact him and his family and help him, and also to Peter Obi, who was strongly supported during the last election, to kindly support him.

“It’s not when something bad happens that people start saying, ‘Oh, Mr. Ibu was a good man’. This is the time to really help Mr. Ibu.

“I hear that there’s some money in the Labour Party presidential budget from the donations we made in the last election. This is the time to use such money. Also, we can use some of the EndSARS money for good causes like this. God bless everyone. Amen,” Adeyanju concluded.