Mr Ibu ‘not fit to fly’ to seek treatment abroad, says family
The family of renowned Nigerian actor Mr John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu, has shed light on the challenges they face in transferring him to a better health facility as his health continues to deteriorate.
In a heartfelt message expressing gratitude to well-wishers for their support, Mr Ibu’s family revealed that doctors have labeled him ‘Not Fit to Fly,’ making it impossible to seek advanced treatment abroad.
“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,” explained the family.
Currently receiving care from a team of skilled professionals in one of Nigeria’s top hospitals, Mr. Ibu’s family extended sincere thanks to Nigerians and the general public for their substantial contributions towards the actor’s recovery.
Also read: Eric Omondi mobilises fans to settle ailing TikToker Mwana Mtule’s hospital bill
Addressing misconceptions circulating on social media, the family clarified that Mr. Ibu did not undergo a double leg amputation.
They clarified, “our daddy wasn’t amputated on both legs but only one.”
The family elaborated that despite an initial amputation, subsequent surgery was deemed 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 family statement added.
Contrary to rumors suggesting diabetes was 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, leading to the need for amputation.
In a previous update, the family shared that Mr. Ibu underwent seven successful surgeries before 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.