His face is very well-known to millions of Nigerians, especially for those who are hopelessly addicted to Yoruba films (like me). However, this is not the best of times for a man who has put smiles on the faces of many Nigerians over the years. He is dying.
Olukayode Odumosu, better known as Pa Kasumu is battling life-threatening condition that has affected his heart and liver. Presently, he is receiving treatment at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for ‘secondary prevention of repeat stroke’ because he once suffereda stroke but bounced back. To cut long story short, he needs a sum of N12 million (that’s still less than the salary of our lawmakers) to stay alive.
He narrated that the ailment started way back in 2009 and since then, he has spent a fortune on the condition, which has now left him practically penniless.
“I have spent so much on these diseases. When it was first diagnosed, the doctors said the ailment was severe, that they would need to control its progression for it not to affect my kidneys. This they did, and I was happy they succeeded. But now, other serious ailments have set in, necessitating this battle for survival.”
He recently turned 60 and has spent more than 40 years as an actor and his passion is still there. He says:
“I am not tired yet; I still want to continue to make people laugh, but my failing health is a terrible obstacle.” He said that he experiences some memory loss owing to the condition and appealed to everyone to assist and save him from an ‘untimely death’.
As at now, the veteran still lives at a rented apartment at No. 9, Alayaki Street, off Olateju Street, Mushin, Lagos and said he has exhausted all his life savings and can no longer afford further treatment.
TO HELP HIM:
Olukayode Olugbenga Odumosu;
Diamond Bank
Account number: 0036059543.
his mobile telephone numbers: 08033535159 and 08096762254.
His son, Tunde, could also be reached on 08174435105.
MY TAKE ON THIS: We are the one killing these actors and they are also contributing to their own deaths too. How? How can an actor work for 40 years and cannot boast of less than $100,000? How will they have money when we keep buying their works from pirates at Alaba International Market? Many of these actors and so-called celebrities in Nigeria are as poor as anything, they only exist on fame. We need to purchase non-pirated copies of their works and make them rich. They should also drag pirates to court and claim compensation and stop leaving ‘everything to God’, that makes no sense. Intellectual theft is a major crime. I cannot imagine Will Smith begging Americans to donate money for his ailment. Let us help our artistes by not buying from pirates. That said, I think the governor of his state should pick the bill and they should not make any useless political propaganda noise over it because na dem no provide excellent public health facilities in the first place (I imagine the number of Nigerians who are not popular and are dying from various diseases EVERYDAY. WAKE UP NIGERIANS).
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