It is no longer news that comic actor, Babatunde Omidina, more popularly known as Baba Suwe is ill and now uses a walking stick to move around. The ac
It is no longer news that comic actor, Babatunde Omidina, more popularly known as Baba Suwe is ill and now uses a walking stick to move around. The actor who has been away from the public for a while, recently appeared in a viral video begging not to be neglected, inferring that he has actually been abandoned by colleagues, while also claiming he would be needing about N100million for his medical attention abroad.
He said: “I am now using a walking stick. If I don’t use it, I might fall down, if I am mistakenly pushed. I want to travel abroad for further treatment. They said in America that if I can get funds, I would be able to go back to being my normal self and go back to my acting. If I am given N100million, I don’t mind, I just want to take care of myself.”
Some of his colleagues have however refuted his claim of abandonment. Bolaji Amusan, more popularly known as Mr Latin who is the National President of the Theatre Arts and Motions Pictures Producers Association of Nigeria, TAMPAN, said the association had been taking care of Baba Suwe’s medical bills since 2017.
Equally, another actor, Dele Odule, a former president of Theatre Arts and Motions Pictures Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), refuted the allegation. He said while it is untrue that Baba had not received help from individual thespians, the participation of association in a matter of this nature is official and dependent on whether or not, he (Baba Suwe), has been an active member of any association.
Dele in a chat with The Nation Odule, said TAMPAN, under his leadership, had sent a donation of N100, 000 to Baba Suwe when his sickness was earlier announced, a contribution he said the actor did not acknowledge. He said it was quite painful that colleagues and association are being accused of not reaching out to the ailing comedian.
“I have read a lot of things being said about us and to be sincere, it is not good. The little that people can do, they have done. They ask too much from artistes. We are human being too. There are lots of other professional bodies that have members going through the same situation and they are not called out. So why is it always the case with us? Another question people need to ask if the person belongs to the association that is being accused of ignoring their responsibility. Is the person paying his dues too? What has the person done for the association? Last year, I saw him at our convention and I was surprised at his condition; I did not know it has worsened. I later sent N100, 000 to him on behalf of the association. And he did not even acknowledge that he received the money”.
On why it is important that members get involved actively in association matters, Odule said, “If I have a challenge today, and the association looks back and see what I have done, they can decide if I deserve something in return. If there was a provision of such in the association’s constitution, and it is not extended to him, then we can have a case. It is purely sentiment when people say he has been abandoned. He was never abandoned. One thing we should know is that Baba Suwe has an immediate family; he also belongs to one of the religious organisations, so why is it that it is his colleagues that should be responsible for his case? Have they reached out to these two; his family and religion body?” he asked.
Baba Suwe’s helath problems began when he was arrested on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 while trying to board an Air France flight to Paris for transporting drugs. Despite different CT scan tests showing drugs were deposited in his body, as claimed by the agency, efforts to get the suspect to expel the substance from his body proved abortive. This led to the actor filing a lawsuit against the NDLEA. The case went in the actor’s favour and was awarded N25million for damages – an amount he is yet to receive from the agency.
A good number of his colleagues have begun responding to his call for help.
