Some of our favourite Nigerian celebrities at some point in their lives have suffered from Kidney disease, whilst some survived the illness, others were unfortunate, as the disease took their lives.
The recent ordeal of award-winning video director, ThankGod Omori, popularly known as TG Omori, who revealed he had a failed kidney transplant following his brother’s kidney donation to him to improve his kidney-related ailment has highlighted further the increase in cases of Chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Nigeria.
Sadly, the sufferers of Kidney disease, according to the recent statistics by the Nigerian Association of Nephrology (NAN), are mainly the working-age population, with many resulting in loss of jobs and poverty due to the condition.
Information from NAN showed that the condition not only gulps vast sums of money for treatment, it also leaves the sufferers constantly tired, in pain, and at risk of death.
In this article, we will be looking at some Nigerian celebrities who have suffered from Kidney disease and others who died from the disease.
1) TG Omori: An award-winning music producer publicly called for prayers after revealing that his kidney transplant was unsuccessful.
The music producer had earlier revealed on his X account that his brother donated a kidney to help alleviate his kidney-related ailment.
However, in an update shared on Wednesday, the cinematographer disclosed that the transplant had failed.
He wrote, “One year after my kidney crashed, I just had a failed transplant at St. Nicolas Hospital Lagos. Pray for me.”
2) Leo Mezie: The 46-year-old Leo Mezie, a prominent Nollywood actor, died in 2022 after recovering from a kidney transplant.
The deceased’s colleague, Chioma Toplis, had in a post on her Instagram account, confirmed that Mezie died in a hospital in the Federal Capital Territory while recovering from a Kidney transplant.
Sharing some of his pictures in a post, she wrote, “Actor Leo Mezie is dead. He died on Saturday in Abuja while recovering from a kidney transplant. His corpse has been moved to Umuahia his hometown. RIP Leo.”
3) Amaechi Muonagor: The veteran Nollywood actor Amaechi Muonagor died earlier this year after suffering from kidney-related issues, diabetes and stroke.
His fellow actor Kingsley Orji confirmed the actor’s death days after the veteran cried out for financial assistance on social media to enable him pay for a kidney transplant in India.
4) Muna Obiekwe: Nollywood actor Muna Obiekwe, had died of kidney failure on January 18, 2015 at a hospital in Festac, Lagos. According to the late actor’s sister, his blood pressure had triggered a kidney failure. He was later buried on February 3 at Umudioka in Anambra State.
5) OJB Jezreel: A late Nigerian music producer and singer who underwent a kidney transplant in 2013.
6) Eedris Abdulkareem: A Nigerian Afrobeat artist, songwriter, and singer, Eedris Turayo Abdulkareem Ajenifuja, popularly known as Eedris Abdulkareem was diagnosed with kidney failure, he however, he underwent a kidney transplant in 2022.
7): Sammie Okposo: Popular Nigerian gospel singer who underwent a kidney transplant in 2022; he later slumped and died later in the same year at the age of 51.
8) Lord of Ajasa: A Nigerian rapper diagnosed with kidney disease in 2022 and underwent surgery.
9) Emma Ugolee, Veteran broadcaster and host of the music talk show ‘The Gist’ on HipTV, Emma Ugolee, suffered Kidney disease for four years but survived after a successful surgey.
