We didn’t abandon sick actor Mr Ibu, Kate Hanshaw replies critics on behalf of AGN

We didn’t abandon sick actor Mr Ibu, Kate Hanshaw replies critics on behalf of AGN

By Tony Oboh

The Actor Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has refuted claims of abandoning their member John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu, who is currently battling illness.

The ailing actor who celebrated his 63rd birthday in an undisclosed hospital in Lagos on Tuesday revealed this in a video posted via Instagram on Wednesday, begging for financial support.

Some social media users however claimed the guild has abandoned Mr Ibu, leaving him with no other option than to solicit funds from the public.

But in a statement made by its director of communications, Kate Henshaw, on Friday, the guild stated that it has never abandoned any of its members in their time of need and provisions have been made for his welfare.

“The guild has never abandoned any of its members in need, especially with health intervention, we have been at the forefront of providing necessary support even before his health condition was made public and this has been done with the full knowledge of his immediate family members.

“We have had to task members privately to help in providing assistance towards the intervention and we do not make public any form of assistance it is not our modus operandi. Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have blinked an eye over this Mr Ibu issue but it has become imperative to make some clarifications as the integrity and welfare package is at stake,” the statement read in parts.