Popular music producer and singer, Babatunde Okungbowa, aka OJB
Jezreel, who had a kidney transplant in 2013, recently spoke about life after
surgery and how he is still battling to stay healthy.
The rumours making the
rounds a few weeks ago, especially in the social media, was that OJB had
suffered a kidney relapse. The rumour had caused quite a stir in the
entertainment industry, as always. But the singer had quickly dismissed it and
informed his numerous fans that he was alright, Punch reports.
Speaking about his post
surgery struggles, he said:
“Normally
there are challenges that come with the post-transplant or recovery period.
Some of them have to do with issues related to hygiene. Also, the drugs I use –
which are meant to fortify the immune system so that my body can accept the
kidney – make me vulnerable to all kinds of infection and diseases.
So
from time to time, I always go for medical checks. Sometimes I may undergo
treatment at the hospital for a longer time than usual. During one of such
periods, some people must have concluded that I had entered another relapse and
they felt it was time for me to undergo another transplant.
I
think that was what led to the rumour. Let me use this occasion to assure them
that I am not in that stage at all. What I am facing right now are the normal
challenges that come with the transplant.”
He also spoke about the
challenges of following the diet regimen as stipulated by his doctors:
“The
problem with the dieting, I must confess, is that it is not an easy thing to
maintain. If one should go by their (doctors) standard, everything I eat should
be fresh. If you look at it critically, it also means, for example, that when I
want to eat meat, it should be fresh meat. Let’s be very frank, I am sure that
even Dangote himself cannot pull this off. Not in Nigeria at present."
As it is, OJB's health
struggles are a case of the 'phoenix from the ashes'. He spoke about the side
effects of some of his medication:
“Some
of the drugs are steroids and they are full of sugar. Now I have to undergo
treatment for diabetes at the same time as I am treating other ailments. But
the major problem is not really the physical pain I suffer; it is the emotional
trauma that results from the illness.”
And for the endless bills:
“Right
from the day I had the transplant, I have been spending close to N350,000 every
month on my drugs, treatment in the hospital, dieting and every other thing,”
He spoke about other
challenges, including not being able to mix with people, even his children, for
fear of a kidney relapse:
“The
truth is that it is not every kidney transplant that ends smoothly. It is not
easy to have a transplant and then go back to normal life. When I returned from
India, some people were aware that I had to wear a mask whenever I was going
outside my home. But how long am I going to keep doing that?”
In spite of these
challenges and the implied strain on his health, the artiste has returned to
what he loves doing best: entertainment. Also, he has appeared in a new film
titled Anjola,
produced by Sophie Ejiga.
But, aware that this has
not gone down well with some of his fans who feel that he should be
recuperating instead of going back to work, he explains, “If you have to cough
out over N350,000 every month to pay medical bills, you cannot afford to rest.
I am definitely back to work, but I do more of entertainment consultancy than
music production nowadays. This is what I do for now.”
To assist patients
diagnosed with kidney failure, as well as to educate other Nigerians on the
seriousness of the ailment, OJB has founded a Kidney Trust Fund. But it will be
administered, he says, by government for the purpose of transparency.
Explaining why he wants
government to take charge of the Fund, he says, “A lot of donors have
complained of the trust deficit in Nigeria. Our main target is to open dialyses
centres in different parts of the country.”
Still, OJB believes that
if he continues to take his drugs, go for regular medical checks and maintain a
healthy hygiene, his condition will improve in a short time.
Contact us for Advert Placement:
BBM PIN: 556E312A
WHATSAPP: 08099821118
TWITTER HANDLE: @naijatalkative
EMAIL: naijatalkative@gmail.com
Share this with your friends.
No comments: