Contemporary highlife musician, Paul Play Dairo, has revealed that he did not launch a campaign for public support to treat his long-term illness because of assistance from Globacom chairman, Mike Adenuga, and some other people.
The ‘Angel of my Life’ singer made the disclosure in a chat with Saturday Punch.
Paul, who was a phenomenon in the Nigerian music scene in the late 90s and early 2000s, took a long break to treat what many thought was cancer.
Dismissing the cancer reports, he said “I was diagnosed with a tumour that grew on my kidney. The tumour was so big that it overwhelmed my kidney and rendered it useless to the point that they had to take it out.”
On why he did not solicit public support for the treatment which kept him in and out of Nigeria for seven years, the former Kennis Music artiste said “I was able to fund the operation because it happened at a time in my life when I was not broke so I was able to take care of myself.
“It was an extensive treatment and people like Dr. Mike Adenuga were there for me. I had friends who rallied around me so I did not have to go to the public to solicit for funds.
“It couldn’t have been that bad that I would not be able to take care of myself or have friends to take care of me when I have issues.”
Paul, who is involved in a legal battle with a telecommunications company over unauthorised use of his song, added that he does not blame those who resort to fundraising to treat themselves.
“The industry is full of assumptions and people believe that if a person is popular, he has the money to take care of himself. But if such situation arises, the person has to come out and say it is beyond him. Things are not like they used to be. Back then, some ailments cost about N15m to treat but now, a person may need to look for about N50m,” he added.
