Nigerian celebrities who have faced brain tumour and surgery

The brain is one of the most critical aspects of the human body, if not the most.

Without it, it would be impossible to function or even exist.

It controls virtually everything about us as human beings, from sensory perception to movement and coordination — down to emotions and personality.

In the event of a problem with the brain, a person can experience unpleasant symptoms including but not limited to immobility, blindness, and memory loss.

For these celebrities, their brains were perfectly healthy at some point.

But a scan happened, a diagnosis was formed. And surgery became imminent.

In no particular order, here are a few Nigerian celebrities who have had to deal with a diagnosis or surgery concerning their brains.

Julius Agwu

The ace Nigerian standup comedian had three tumours in his brain which were discovered from a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan he did in America.

This was after he survived a seizure that nearly claimed his life in Nigeria.

“We decided to go to America and I was told that I had three tumours,” he said in an interview in 2017. “One at the back, which was like a golf ball and two others were inside my brain.“

But he eventually had a successful but intense four-hour brain surgery at the Park Plaza Hospital in Houston Texas, United States of America in 2015.

He celebrated his victory with a thanksgiving song.

The following year, circulating rumours had it that he was hospitalised again for a brain tumour relapse. But they were quickly debunked by his manager.

Zack Orji

The veteran Nollywood actor slumped in his bathroom on a fateful day and was rescued by his colleagues and loved ones once their attention was drawn to the incident.

During an interview with Channels TV, Orji recounted his experience.

He said that a colleague, Benedict Johnson had to rush to his house while he was still on the floor, incoherent.

“I couldn’t even stand because when he raised me, I slumped again, and he had to call another colleague whom we call Labista,” he recalled. “So the two of them lifted me on their shoulders from the second floor to the ground floor and took me to the National Hospital.”

He would later undergo two brain surgeries performed by Dr Biodun Ogungbo, a neurosurgeon based in Abuja.

The 65-year-old Gabon-born actor attributed his treatment and recovery to the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

Bisola Badmus

Bisola Badmus opened up on her then three-year-old battle with encephalopathy caused by brain tumours in two separate interviews with her colleagues, Kunle Afod and Biola Bayo.

The Yoruba movie star disclosed that the condition had slowly deteriorated to near complete vision and memory loss. But medical intervention saved her.

“It reached a stage where I couldn’t say anything or recognise anyone,” she said. “I have been on medication, and while I am getting better, there is no surgical option for my condition. The drugs are a necessary part of my life now.”

The actress’ colleague, Biola Bayo, shortly after the released interview episode, then shared that well-meaning individuals have volunteered to sponsor her surgery abroad and foot her son’s educational bills up to tertiary level.