The family of veteran Yoruba actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, has raised concerns over alleged attempts by some individuals to exploit the actor’s health crisis for financial gain.
One of his daughters, Kira Taiwo, made the allegation during an emotional TikTok live session on Saturday, where she disclosed the financial pressure confronting the family as they seek medical treatment for the 66-year-old actor.
According to Kira, some people claiming to have solutions to her father’s condition had demanded huge sums of money from the family, despite their limited financial capacity.
“My father is a good father. Some people are even trying to make money with us in this whole situation. Fear God. This one will come and bring solution, N800,000, N5m, $11,000, $18,000. Do you want to make us broke? We are not billionaires,” she said.
She said the family’s immediate concern was securing effective treatment for the actor rather than responding to demands for money, adding that the situation had also affected her emotionally and physically.
“I want to check my BP, I am not okay too,” she said.
Kira further revealed that Ogogo’s illness had taken a heavy toll on his brother, whom she affectionately called her “big daddy.”
She said she learnt about her uncle’s distress through the family’s group chat, where relatives regularly discuss the actor’s health.
Kira said the close bond between her father and his brother had made the situation particularly painful for the entire family, noting that her uncle was also struggling to cope with the actor’s condition.
She added that she had withdrawn from social media because seeing pictures and videos of her father had become emotionally difficult.
“I don’t know how I will feel. I don’t even know how I will see the world again. If anything happens to my daddy… Please don’t think I am here to ask for sympathy or anything,” she said.
The development followed an earlier appeal by Kira and her sister, Lima Taiwo, for assistance for their father, who they said was battling stage-four cancer.
The sisters separately sought help from Nigerians, well-wishers and medical professionals with experience in cancer treatment, stressing that their priority was finding a way to save the actor.
Lima disclosed in one of her appeals that Ogogo’s health had deteriorated to the point where some hospitals were no longer willing to continue his treatment.
She said the family only became aware of the seriousness of his condition about three weeks earlier because his appearance had not initially indicated the severity of the illness.
“We didn’t even know until like three weeks ago,” she said.
Lima clarified that the family was not soliciting financial donations but was seeking access to appropriate medical care for the actor.
She also expressed appreciation to a relative who, according to her, had provided substantial assistance to the family during the difficult period.
In another video, Kira disclosed that doctors had informed the family that they could no longer continue chemotherapy for her father.
She also acknowledged the financial assistance provided by Senator Yayi, whom she said had been helping to settle the actor’s medical bills.
Appealing for urgent intervention, Kira urged medical practitioners, hospitals and anyone with access to effective cancer treatment to contact her or her sister.
“If you can treat my daddy, if you can start chemo for him, whether it’s medical or herbs, please, I’m begging you. Anybody that you know that can treat cancer, please help,” she pleaded.
She said her father was aware of the seriousness of his condition and had expressed his fear of 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.
Ogogo, 66, is a veteran actor with more than four decades of experience in the Nigerian film industry. He has reportedly featured in over 300 films and remains a prominent figure in Yoruba-language cinema.
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