Afrigather Actor Charles Inojie just lately visited his ailing colleague, John Okafor, aka Mr Ibu, within the hospital. In a publish shared on his Fb web page, Charles recounted how himself and Mr Ibu threw banters at one another, laughing at themselves and even wept collectively whereas in his hospital room. Charles wrote
‘’MR IBU… THE INDOMITABLE HUMORIST!
I by no means thought I might ever have the ability to relate this chapter of my encounter with Mr Ibu on his sick mattress as a result of I had this humorous feeling that it had the potential of creating gentle of a really dire state of affairs as his situation offered. Properly, the enigmatic humour monger himself, Ali Baba, has given me a gentle touchdown to go forward.
I walked into his personal ward within the ICU within the firm of Chinyere Wilfred at whose behest we made the journey to Ever Care the place he’s being handled. We had simply completed from a set, and he or she urged that we take the chance to go to Ibu. With us had been Jasmine, Mrs Ibu, and a girl I consider is her buddy.
As quickly as we stepped into the room, his eyes lit up, and he retorted:
IBU: “Fool, what are you doing right here?”
ME: “Mumu, why you carry your leg go give mallam to dey lower?”
IBU: “I get sense?”
He would go on to quibble a number of pleasant banters with Chinyere. In reality, suffice to say that if a complete stranger walked into that room that minute, he would by no means have the ability to inform who, certainly, was the affected person.
From one joke to the opposite, Ibu actually entertained us. For a second, i peered into his eyes as if looking for the key of his willpower, and once more, he levelled me out.
IBU: “You dey pity for me? No concern, the physician say I am going match nonetheless use the leg later, although some betta-betta meat don commot for the leg.”
You can by no means cease questioning the place he bought the energy below such agonising ache to exude such optimistic power so effortlessly.
Then got here the second. I picked his palms from his sides and held them tightly as I muttered,
“Let’s pray.”
We gazed intently at one another and related on the fading highways of nostalgia, and upon the occasion, I felt a mad rush of scorching tears welling up beneath my quivering eyelids. I shortly turned away for concern my animal weak spot was threatening to have the higher of me, however too late. Ibu was crying, too!
We prayed and cried freely and got here to, unconsoled. He wiped his eyes as I did mine, and out of the blues, the Ibu in him reared its head once more.
IBU: “Fool, you go dey cry. Wetin dey beat you?”
ME: “Mumu, you no cry?”
IBU: “Na as I see you dey cry, na him I say make I assist you na.”
The 2 delectable nurses tending him laughed and laughed, and you might inform that Ibu made their jobs so very simple together with his ebullient mien.
I left his ward with certainly one of life’s very important classes operating by way of my thoughts… WHOEVER CAN MUSTER THE WILLPOWER TO SURVIVE IN THE FACE OF ANGUISH AND LIFE THREATENING PAIN, CAN DEFEAT DEATH EVEN IN THE MOST FIERCESOME BATTLE.
Might God Almighty grant Ibu a speedy restoration.”
Mr Ibu has been within the hospital for weeks over a protracted ailment. Final week, docs attending to him amputated one of his legs for him to have a greater probability at residing. There are plans to fly him overseas for correct medical care.
