Veteran Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwor, widely known as Mama G, has shed light on the underlying causes of the frequent deaths among Nollywood actors. Speaking in Lagos this week, she attributed the deaths to the carelessness and negligence of the actors themselves.
During her remarks, Mama G elaborated on why she was visibly emotional at the funeral of the late comic actor John Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu, held in his hometown in Enugu State last month. “When you are doing something you are enjoying, you wouldn’t bother to take care of your health. Once there is life in you, you keep doing what you are doing. And it’s something that pays back on your body,” she said.
“Some people are so careless that when they are sick, instead of going to the hospital for a proper check-up, they prefer to visit a chemist or a pharmacy to buy a pain reliever. It’s no longer safe with me,” Mama G added. She emphasized the need for her colleagues to prioritize their health, saying, “We are trying to put smiles on the faces of people while forgetting to take care of our health.”
Explaining her tears at Mr. Ibu’s burial, Mama G recounted a poignant moment: “At that moment, I broke down in tears. It’s not because I was expecting him to respond, but it was when I realized that this man is gone forever.” She urged her peers to regularly seek medical check-ups and avoid behaviors detrimental to their health.
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Mama G also shared a deeply personal experience of her spiritual transformation in 2016. She recalled how an encounter with God led her to a life of evangelism. “God asked me to separate myself so that He wants to talk with me. I thought somebody was talking to me, but I discovered it was a voice coming from somewhere.”
This divine call led her to a 30-day period of isolation and spiritual renewal. “By the time I came out from those 30 days, I became a changed person,” she said. Her newfound calling was affirmed when she was invited to share her testimony, which had a profound impact on the audience. This marked the beginning of her journey as an evangelist, as she was subsequently invited to various programs by other pastors and evangelists.
Mama G’s insights and personal testimony serve as a powerful reminder to her colleagues in Nollywood about the importance of health and spiritual well-being.
