Billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, has undertaken to take care of the medical bills of veteran actor, Sadiq Daba.
Otedola disclosed this in a statement released on Sunday.
Daba travelled to the United Kingdom in 2017 for the treatment of leukaemia and prostate cancer.
He returned to Nigeria a few weeks after with reports that his situation was not as bad as feared.
Two years after, the October 1 star was recently admitted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital for what those close to him said was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
“I heard about Mr. Sadiq Daba’s health condition when it was brought to my attention through an online news story I read two days ago,” Otedola said in his statement.
“I was saddened to hear that he had taken ill again after overcoming his challenges from prostate cancer just two years ago.
“From the news report, I gathered that he was rushed to the Emergency unit of LUTH after being diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
“I must say that even though I don’t know Mr. Daba personally, he is a face I am familiar with through the old TV drama production ‘Cock Crow at Dawn’ which I used to watch while growing up.
“I was moved by a sense of nostalgia and concern when I read of his medical situation recently and decided to take over his medical bills. He has been visited and arrangements are being made to support him.
“In other climes, the likes of Sadiq Daba and other such actors who more or less paved the way for the entertainment industry and the Nollywood industry in Nigeria (which is touted as the 3rd largest movie industry in the world) would be celebrated as Icons and due recognition would be accorded to them.
“For me, taking care of Sadiq’s medical expenses is my little way of showing appreciation and gratitude for the good memories he created for me and others in the past.”
Otedola had in April accepted to foot the medical bills of former Super Eagles’ coach, Christian Chukwu, who was reportedly diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Chukwu returned to the country two Fridays ago after his treatment in the UK which reportedly cost Otedola N36,635,000.
A similar gesture was extended to Tinsel actor, Victor Olaotan, in 2018.
Olaotan became bedridden from an accident he had on the Lagos/Ibadan expressway in 2016.
