Mr Ibu’s Family Cries Out for Help as Widow Battles Rent, School Fees, Darkness

The family of late Nollywood comic icon John Okafor, widely known as Mr Ibu, has appealed to Nigerians for financial assistance, revealing that they are battling severe hardship more than a year after the actor’s passing.

The emotional appeal was made during a video interview published on Wednesday by content creator King Mitchy, in which Mr Ibu’s widow and some of their children opened up about the challenges they have faced since losing the veteran actor.

Speaking about the family’s situation, the widow disclosed that they have been living without electricity for nearly two months after their power supply was disconnected because they could not settle outstanding bills. She added that the family now depends on water from a well as they struggle to make ends meet.

“We fetch water from the well. Because I have not paid the house rent. And they have even cut my lights for two months now. No lights since. We have been like that. Every night we go to look for a place to charge our phones. And… It’s not easy,” she said.

Despite the difficult circumstances, one of Mr Ibu’s daughters commended her mother for remaining resilient and doing everything possible to keep the family afloat.

“I want to thank God for my mom. She tries everything she can to feed us, to pay our school fees, to make us happy,” she said.

The widow also revealed that the family’s financial difficulties have now begun to affect her children’s education, saying they are unable to continue attending school because of unpaid tuition.

“Right now, they can’t go to school again. I can even show you the message the school sent me today,” she said.

King Mitchy, who conducted the interview, explained that the appeal was aimed at raising support for the family to offset outstanding school fees, pay their house rent and reconnect electricity to their home.

Mr Ibu, celebrated as one of Nigeria’s most beloved comic actors, died on March 2, 2024, at the age of 62, leaving behind a rich legacy in the country’s film industry.