A throwback interview in which renowned Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, well known as Ogogo, described his seven-year fight with illness has surfaced online following his death on Sunday at the age of 66.
In an interview with Oyinmomo TV on July 4, 2025, the actor discussed the seriousness of his sickness, claiming that he once vomited blood and spent months praying while sitting due to agony.
Recalling his experience at King Solomon Hospital, where he received a scan, Ogogo stated that doctors revealed substantial damage from the ulcer.
He said, “I spent six, seven years battling this illness, ulcer. I would vomit blood. For seven months I prayed while sitting.”
The legendary actor also described how trying to treat malaria with a local medication exacerbated his condition after he had already acquired an ulcer.
According to him, he told the doctor that every time he got malaria, he would take Alabukun and lime, which prompted the doctor to caution him about the risks.
“I told the doctor, ‘If I had malaria, I’d take Alabukun and lime.’ He shouted, ‘You have implicated yourself. You have an ulcer, and the remedy you used for malaria caused this,” Ogogo recounted.
He further revealed the extent to which the illness affected his ability to eat, saying he could barely keep food down.
“I even took a teaspoonful of rice; I would vomit everything before it settled. For seven years, I survived only on cornmeal,” he said.
Ogogo stated that he eventually combined spiritual and medical treatment in his battle to recover.
“Eventually, I started treatment both spiritually and medically,” he said, adding that he remained grateful for his survival.
“God is the one who does things perfectly—the God of every season. I appreciate Him deeply,” the actor said.
The resurrected interview has received newfound interest following the veteran actor’s death on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
Multiple sources confirmed Ogogo’s death, including Seun Oloketuyi, the founder of Best of Nollywood, who posted on social media, “Taiwo Hassan Ogogo is dead. He finally lost the battle of life.”
His daughters, Kaira and Lima Taiwo, had requested medical assistance for their father, who was suffering from stage-four cancer, just days before his death.
Kaira stated that doctors advised the family that they could no longer administer chemotherapy due to his illness, pushing the family to seek alternative treatment alternatives.
Hassan, who died at 3 p.m. on Sunday at the age of 66, is set to be buried at his birthplace of Ilaro in Ogun State on Monday.
According to a burial notice by veteran actor Jide Kosoko, the actor’s remains will be transported to Ilaro, where a lying-in-state ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on Monday at the Pavilion.
Ogogo was a well-known personality in Nigeria’s film industry, especially for his work on Yoruba-language films.
