Mr. Ibu's family addresses health rumors, clarifies speculations

 Nigerian actor Mr. John Okafor aka Mr. Ibu. (Courtesy)

In a recent statement on Mr. Ibu's official Instagram account, the family of veteran Nigerian actor Mr. John Okafor expressed sincere gratitude to well-meaning Nigerians for their substantial contributions to the actor's recovery.

"We wish to Express our sincere gratitude to well-meaning Nigerians and the general public for your immense contributions, physically, spiritually, and most above all financially on getting our daddy Mr. John Okafor (Mr. Ibu) back on his feet again," the family stated.

Addressing misconceptions circulating on social media, the family emphasized that Mr. Ibu did not undergo a double leg amputation, clarifying, "our daddy wasn’t amputated on both legs but only one." The family explained that despite an initial amputation, further surgery was necessary to address lingering health challenges.

"The first amputation didn’t completely correct his health predicament, so the doctors had to go ahead to amputate the same leg further to ensure we didn’t lose him," the statement added.

Contrary to rumors suggesting diabetes as the cause of Mr. Ibu's illness, the family disclosed that the actor faced constant blood clotting in his leg (diseased blood vessels) and other health challenges, necessitating the need for amputation.

"The only reason why the family has not flown him out of the country till date is that the doctors have tagged him 'Not Fit to Fly.' This tag has made it extremely impossible to get him out of the country for advanced treatment as no airline will fly him," the family explained, assuring that Mr. Ibu is currently receiving care from a team of astute professionals in one of Nigeria's top hospitals.

In a previous update, the family shared that Mr. Ibu underwent seven successful surgeries at the cost of losing one leg. "As of 1 pm (Monday), Daddy has gone through 7 successful surgeries but to keep him alive and increase his chances of recovery, one of his legs had to be amputated," the family disclosed.

The family called upon Nigerians to support Mr. Ibu during this delicate time and urged everyone to refrain from spreading unconfirmed reports about his health. As the actor continues to recuperate, the family emphasized the importance of prayers and unity.