Ola Balogun, the ace Nigerian filmmaker, has directed that his organs be donated and his body be given to medical institutions after his death.
The 81-year-old recently issued the directive in his will.
In the document titled ‘Public Rendition of My Last Will and Testament’, Balogun said he was motivated by a recent health scare after being diagnosed with a fresh illness just days after his 81st birthday on August 1.
The filmmaker, who is currently seeking treatment at the Josek Medical Centre in Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos State, said he was unable to prepare a formal will with a lawyer, prompting him to issue a public statement of his final wishes.
Balogun cited Obafemi Awolowo as an inspiration, noting that the late Nigerian statesman had penned his will weeks before his death.
“Barely a week after I was privileged to celebrate my 81st birthday on August 1st, a fresh medical alert has obliged me to once more seek treatment at the Josek medical centre in Ogba, Ikeja,” the document reads in part.
“Consequently, I am hastily writing these few lines, not knowing whether or not I am destined to emerge alive from my latest confrontation with illness.
“Since I do not have the material possibility of calling on a legal practitioner at the present moment to seek help in drawing up a final version of my last will and testament, I have decided to have recourse to the present public document in order to leave instructions behind in the event that my physical being should succumb to death within the next few days or weeks.
“I am encouraged in this decision by the sterling example of the great Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who calmly sat down to pen a final version of his will a few weeks before his death.
“Like the late sage, I firmly believe that departure from earthly existence should involve a well-thought-out and orderly process, rather akin to preparation for a long journey.”
Balogun directed that immediately after his death is medically certified, his remains should be “speedily dissected” to extract viable organs, such as kidneys or eyes, for donation to those in need.
He further ordered that the remainder of his body be handed over to medical institutions for use in training future doctors in morbid anatomy.
Balogun said he made the decision because he believes his body should continue to benefit others even after his death.
“I hereby further direct that immediately after my physical demise would have been medically certified, my remains should be speedily dissected in order to extract any vital organs that might be useful for donation to persons in need of vital organs such as the kidneys, the eyes etc,” the statement added.
“After that, I hereby direct that whatever is left over should be speedily handed over to appropriate medical institutions for use by future doctors who are learning how to carry out dissections within the scope of their study of morbid anatomy.
“The above decisions concerning the disposal of my corpse are rooted in the firm conviction that my physical remains should, if possible, be useful to the living.”
Balogun is regarded as one of the pioneers of the Nigerian film industry, with a career spanning several decades. He has produced films and documentaries in multiple languages, including English, Yoruba, Pidgin, and Igbo.
In 1972, Balogun directed his first feature-length film, ‘Alpha’, marking his transition from documentary to narrative cinema.
His notable works include ‘Alpha’, ‘Ija Ominira’, ‘Amadi’, ‘Nigersteel’, ‘Ajani Ogun’, ‘Musik Man’ and ‘Oorun Moru’.
He belongs to the first generation of Nigerian filmmakers, alongside the late Hubert Ogunde, Jab Adu, the late Ade Afolayan (Ade Love), and Moses Olaiya (Baba Sala).
