The burial of veteran Nollywood actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, in Ilaro, Ogun State, has taken an unexpected turn on social media, with the appearance of another screen legend, Remi Shitta-Bey, leaving fans deeply worried.
Shitta-Bey, one of the respected faces of the old Yoruba movie generation, attended Ogogo’s final rites on Monday alongside several colleagues.
Rather than focusing solely on the emotional farewell, attention quickly shifted to his noticeably lean appearance in a video from the ceremony.
In the footage circulating online, the veteran actor appeared significantly thinner than many viewers remembered him, with one moment showing him seemingly struggling to maintain his footing as he walked through the crowd.
That brief scene was enough to trigger an avalanche of concern from fans who grew up watching Shitta-Bey and other veterans dominate Yoruba cinema.
For many admirers, seeing the actor in that condition at the burial of Ogogo — another beloved member of his generation — was particularly unsettling.
Social media users began appealing to people close to Shitta-Bey to check on him, while some specifically called on Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and actor Kunle Afod, who has previously shown interest in the welfare of ageing entertainers, to intervene.
Concern was heightened by the presence of another veteran, Adewale Elesho, who was also captured in the same footage with what appeared to be a wound on the side of his face.
Rather than treating the images as proof of any particular health condition, however, fans have largely responded with prayers and calls for greater attention to the wellbeing of actors from the generation that helped build Nigeria’s indigenous film industry.
One recurring sentiment online was that the surviving veterans should not be allowed to quietly struggle after spending decades entertaining millions.
Shitta-Bey and Elesho belong to a generation whose careers stretched across the transition from Yoruba travelling theatre and stage productions to the home-video era and the modern Nollywood industry. Their appearances at Ogogo’s funeral therefore carried a deeper significance for many viewers.
Ogogo himself was buried in Ilaro on Monday, August 24, following Islamic rites, barely a day after his death at 66.
His funeral drew a large gathering of family members, friends, community residents and leading figures in Yoruba cinema.
Among those who attended were Jide Kosoko, Yinka Quadri, Faithia Balogun, Femi Adebayo, Mr Latin, Ireti Osayemi, Toyosi Adesanya and other colleagues who came to honour the late actor.
While the ceremony was dominated by grief over Ogogo’s passing, the sight of Shitta-Bey and Elesho has now opened another conversation — this time about the condition and welfare of the ageing stars who remain.
It is a conversation that goes beyond one viral video.
For decades, these actors gave audiences memorable characters, helped popularise Yoruba-language cinema and inspired younger practitioners.
Yet, as their generation gradually ages, questions about healthcare, welfare, financial security and institutional support for veteran entertainers continue to surface whenever one of them appears visibly frail or passes away.
Ogogo’s own death has already reignited such concerns, coming after his family disclosed that he had been battling stage-four cancer and appealed for medical assistance shortly before his death.
Shitta-Bey’s appearance has consequently become another emotional reminder of the passage of time — and of the vulnerability of the generation that once appeared almost indestructible on the screens of Nigerian homes.
For now, there is no verified information establishing that Shitta-Bey is suffering from any specific illness, and the viral images should not be used to draw medical conclusions.
What is clear, however, is that his appearance has touched a nerve among fans.
As tributes continue to pour in for Ogogo, the anxiety surrounding Shitta-Bey and Elesho has added an unexpected question to the mourning: who will care for the legends who spent their lives entertaining us when age finally catches up with them?
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