The Nollywood starlet was in the prime of her career when she suddenly died New Years eve at the University College hospital.
The crowds came out , fans were devastated and the whole city was thrown into mourning. Area boys also known as hoodlums attacked actors
and more as they walked to the cemetery graveside ceremony. They were trying to extort money and tips from the actors. At one point I had to get the thugs off their cars as they left the venue screaming and ordering them to stop the unacceptable behaviour. I dished about N1000 to 10 of them at N100 each. Poverty and lawlessness has become rampant in parts of Ibadan and has resorted to this kind of behaviour.
A reliable source has confirmed to me that Yoruba actress, Bisi Komolafe, died of lung cancer disease.
The actress was pronounced dead on Tuesday after reportedly battling an ‘undisclosed disease’ for months.
She was said to have been diagnosed seven months ago in a Lagos private hospital and began seeking medical and spiritual help immediately, but which did not come as expected.
This, it was gathered, informed concerned friends’ decision to plan a fund-raising for her, but which also did not hold as it was already too late.
Although media reports said the actress died from pregnancy complications, the source said that report was not true. He admitted that Bisi was pregnant while receiving treatment at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, but “her death had nothing to do with her pregnancy at all”.
Not known to be a smoker though, the medical expert source said it was possible for her to have been infected as a passive smoker who could have inhaled the smoke from some active smokers.
My source’s information was corroborated by the Chairman, National Consultative Committee on Cancer Control in Nigeria, Professor Francis Abayomi Durosinmi-Etti who stated separately that people who do not smoke tobacco could also develop lung cancer if they are exposed to smoke, ‘‘be it from cigarette or the environment’’.
According to the Professor, there is a definite increased risk of getting lung cancer from breathing in other people’s smoke, but the duration of exposure to the smoke also matters.
The Professor who added that there was widespread scientific consensus that exposure to second-hand smoke was harmful, declared that ‘‘smoke from tobacco contains at least 70 chemicals that are known to cause cancer.”
Nevertheless, the cancer expert stated that there is treatment for people with lung cancer, adding that their chances of surviving the cancer is dependent on factors such as the type of the lung cancer, the stage at which it was discovered, and whether the cancer had started to spread.
Bisi’s ailment was reported to have started about four months ago when she was brought to Ibadan from Lagos by some of her friends and family where she was recuperating after a few days.
The actress was said to be responding to treatment at UCH few weeks back, but her condition relapsed two weeks ago when a family member called attention to Bisi’s deteriorating health.
Bisi was said to have been moved out of the hospital three weeks ago to an undisclosed church, but had to be rushed back when it was obvious her condition had gone worse. She was said to have taken about 40 pints of blood before she finally died on Tuesday morning.
According to the Professor, “some lung cancer types grow very fast, so making them more deadly and able to kill faster. When the cancer cells grow very fast, for instance, they could be transferred in the blood to other organs of the body such as the brain, where they can cause complications and kill.”
Media reports had it that Bisi had a running battle with an ‘undisclosed illness’ which kept her in and out of hospitals for more than three months.
The actress had informed some of her close friends in the industry of her sickness and demanded to be taken to Ibadan.
Reports had it that Bisi was few weeks pregnant when the sickness started and was said to have lost the pregnancy as a result of complications arising from her sickness.
The Tribune titles had earlier gathered from one of Bisi’s close friend that the actress’s pregnancy had to be terminated at the hospital when her condition got worse.
“Her pregnancy was aborted. I don’t want to comment more on that, but that is the truth. I learnt they had to do it to save her life when it appeared she might lose it eventually,” said the source.
At the funeral of the actress on Friday, area boys who tried to harrass some of the actors, got a raw deal from Femi Adebayo as he slapped one of them for having the guts to extort money from mourners.
Not ready to engage touts in a duel though, Femi Odunlade, who was said to have recently shot a movie in that area, had to appeal to the sentiments of the area boys who were determined to collect money from him as he did not give them anything the last time he came to Ibadan to shoot his latest movie.
Frightened, the actor removed his pair of slippers, raised it on his head, and begged the touts to let him go as he had nothing to give but his slippers. After appeals, he was allowed to leave the Oke Padre burial venue.
Muyiwa Ademola, rumoured to have died during the week in an accident, assisited on both sides by aides, limped out of the venue, but not after settling the touts who were determined to extort something from the actor.
It took the intervention of uniformed men for many of the actors and actresses to eventually get away from the arms of area boys. At one point like I said earlier,
actress Remi Oshodi's (Suratuu) car was one of the ones that I had to liberate from the thugs. Moji Olaiya, Fathis Balogun, Yinka Quadri, Taiwo Hassan and many more were present. Funke Akindele was unusually absent probably due to her pregnancy and travel restrictions--MsK
BELOW IS THE FULL VIDEO WITH THE FANS, STARS AND CROWDS.
With Files from the Nigerian Tribune.
