Mr. Ibu Facing Another Battle Amid Health Challenge

– Mr. Ibu’s wife, Stella Marris, Mr. Ibu on sick bed and adopted daughter, Jasmine

By Bunmi Onakan

Another internal battle has erupted in the home of comic actor John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu, despite his present health challenge.

As the actor struggles with his health, his family also grapples with a financial rift as he has to deal with an internal crisis between his wife, Stella Maris, and his adopted daughter, Jasmine.

The two are at loggerheads over the funds donated for the actor’s surgeries.

Stella Maris, on Monday, accused Jasmine of hijacking the money donated by good-meaning Nigerians to assist the family in dealing with the actor’s health challenge.

John Okafor’s wife took to Instagram to make the allegations following accusations that she demanded the donated money to buy a car.

She further revealed that she does not have access to the actor’s main account, stating, “It is being secretly controlled by Jazmine, yet she is cooking up all kinds of lies and propaganda against me to keep absolute control of that account”.

Jasmine, in reaction to the allegation, said; “I do not want to be involved with the online drama, at least not yet. I am more concerned for Daddy’s well-being.”

In an interesting development, John Okafor’s son, Daniel Okafor, waded into the controversy, debunking the claims made by Stella.

Daniel maintained, “there is no truth in what Stella Maris has been sharing online”

He added; “Jasmine does not have access to that account; I have access to it. I am the signatory to the account and my father’s next of kin.”

The actor’s son also revealed that Stella is his stepmother, noting the absence of his mother at the moment.

The actor’s health challenge was made public after a live stream of his 63rd birthday which took place in a hospital was made on his official Instagram page on October 17, 2023.

The live-streamed event featured the actor on a hospital bed alongside a birthday cake and packs of juice in a small gathering with family and friends in attendance.

Barely a month before the rather shocking reveal, the veteran actor organised a concert to celebrate 40 years on screen.

The event which took place on September 3 had Nollywood stars in attendance, all seen in a joyful mood celebrating the Mr Ibu’s achievements over the years.

A day after his birthday, a video of Mr Ibu seeking prayers and financial support from his hospital bed to avoid his leg being amputated was posted on his official Instagram page where he revealed that he had been unwell and in the hospital for weeks.

“While I am hoping for prayers and assistance, as I speak to you I am still lying down in the hospital. The medical director of this hospital said that in case his new idea does not work, the next idea is to cut off my leg.

“Just see me, if they cut off my leg where would I go? Pray for me, I don’t want my leg to be cut off, thank you so much, God, bless you,” the actor said

In the video which featured his wife, Stella Maris, and daughter, Jasmine, the latter revealed that her father had experienced the same health challenge multiple times but she had been handling the expenses.

She, however, requested financial aid from well-meaning Nigerians, emphasising the family’s preference to take the ailing actor abroad for further treatment.

She said: “I’ve been the one handling the bills and I am financially drained, we can’t do it alone.

He’s not getting better, some days it looks like he is and other days it looks like he is getting worse. We are still at the hospital and they want to transfer him to another hospital because he is not getting better.

“We want to appeal to Nigerian individuals or organisations to please fly daddy abroad for better treatment. This is not the first time daddy is down like this.”

It was reported that The Abubakar Bukola Saraki Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded by former Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, paid off the actor’s medical expenses.

About two weeks after the appeal for support, Mr Ibu’s family shared their appreciation for the donations made by Nigerians toward the actor’s well-being, which they described as “very timely and very helpful”.

The family also revealed that the actor had successfully undergone five surgeries and was recovering in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Giving an update on the actor’s health, they said: So far daddy has gone through 5 successful surgeries, and he is still recovering in the ICU. Daddy is immensely grateful and we are thankful to the general public during this phase of our lives.”

They also hinted that; “we are still counting on all your prayers and unwavering support as we pray he gets stabilized quickly to enable us fly him abroad for further advanced treatment.”

Fans and colleagues of Mr Ibu were rudely shocked on November 6 when the actor’s family revealed that one of his legs had been amputated.

In a post on Mr Ibu’s official Instagram handle, the family explained that the actor’s leg was amputated after seven successful surgeries “to keep him alive and increase his chances of recovery.”

“As of 1 pm today, 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.

“This development has been hard on us all, but we’ve had to accept it as Daddy’s new reality to keep him alive,” the statement read in part.

The statement added, “Please, we are still soliciting support from well-meaning Nigerians, as Daddy is in a very delicate state, and he needs all the help he can get.