VETERAN Nollywood actor Zack Orji has shared details about a traumatic incident that led to him undergoing two brain surgeries in Nigeria.
Orji, during an interview on Channels TV, described how he collapsed in the bathroom, resulting in a serious medical crisis.
He emphasized that his survival was a divine intervention as he was unconscious for over five hours before getting help.
When his friend Bala Ahmed, who was in the UK at the time, was informed about the situation by people at Orji’s house, prompting a swift response from colleagues who rushed to his aid.
“Benedict Johnson rushed to the house, and I was there on the floor, incoherent. I couldn’t even stand because when he raised me, I slumped again, and he had to call another colleague whom we call Labista. So the two of them lifted me on their shoulders from the second floor to the ground floor and took me to the National Hospital,” Orji recounted.
Orji’s wife, who was in Lagos, immediately flew to Abuja upon hearing the news and on January 1st, the first surgery was performed by Dr. Biodun Ogungbo, a neurosurgeon.
“He’s an awesome guy,” Orji lauded.
The actor expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support he received from various prominent individuals, including the President of Nigeria, the First Lady, the Vice President’s wife, the President’s son, and several ministers. People from different countries also reached out, offering assistance and expressing concern.
He said, “But in all of it, I’m grateful to God Almighty and I’m also grateful to so many people who stepped in. The President of Nigeria, the First Lady, the wife to the Vice President, the President’s son, the Minister for Women’s Affairs, the Minister for Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, the Minister for Works, and a whole lot of other people.
“I was receiving calls from South Africa, from the UK, from the US, from some of them were willing to, they were asking me, how can we help? How can we be of assistance? So it was overwhelming the way people responded to the whole thing,” Orji expressed.
Upon his recovery in Nigeria, Orji was advised to undergo further assessment in the UK, where he consulted with Dr. John Yeh.
Through the ordeal, Orji remained thankful for the help he received and credited both divine intervention and the kindness of many individuals for his survival.