Since photos and videos of veteran actress, Sidikat Odukanwi, popularly known as Iyabo Oko, looking frail made the rounds on the Internet recently, there has been rumours that she has passed away.
The 62-year-old actress in a brief interview with Saturday Beats, has debunked such rumours, saying, “I am doing fine. I am not dead. I am very much alive. I won’t die (yet); it is not my portion.”
Meanwhile, one of her daughters, Olamide, told Saturday Beats that her mother was diagnosed with ischaemic stroke about five years ago but chose to keep her health issues away from the public.
She said, “What affected my mum was the fact that she was not going for her medical check-ups. I want Nigerians to help provide a car for her. What happened (to her) could have been prevented but because of the unavailability of a car, things took a different turn. She lives very far from the hospital. When she had her last ‘attack’, I had to get a motorcycle to convey her to the junction before I could get a cab to pick her.
“She was diagnosed with right ischaemia stroke some years back. The first health scare happened about five years ago but she did not want anyone to know about it. My elder siblings even flew her to China for better medical treatment and she got better. Sadly, she had two other ‘attacks’. But, she instructed us not to tell anyone about it, that she would be fine. But seven days ago, she had another attack which affected her limbs. However, she is getting better. She can now talk and respond to people. The doctors have assured us that with the help of physiotherapy, she would be able to use her limbs again.
“We spoke out because we now need financial help. Her children are doing their best but they can’t do everything. Actresses like Foluke Daramola, Iyabo Ojo, Mercy Aigbe and Biodun Okeowo have assisted financially in the past.”
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