The death of singer, rapper, and songwriter, Olarenwaju Fasasi, also known as, Sound Sultan, 44, from cancer, sent shockwaves across the music industry and Nigeria as a whole.
The ‘Jagbajantis’ singer, lost his battle with Angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma – a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma – part of a cancerous group.
A report by Projectpinkblue states that more than 700,000 people die of cancer yearly – with the cases more observed in women (41,913) than in men (28,414).
In this article, we will be listing some notable Nigerian personalities that have lost their lives to this deadly disease.
Here are 7 other popular Nigerian personalities that have lost their battles with cancer.
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Dora Akunyili
She was renowned for her formidable role as the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Ms. Akunyili died on 7 June 2014 aged 59, in India, after her hard-fought battle with uterine cancer.
Gani Fawehinmi
An author, publisher, philanthropist, a human and civil rights lawyer, and politician, Abdul-Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi died on 5 September 2009 of lung cancer.
Prior to his death, Fawehinmi was known for his fierce activism, and among his notable deeds was his rejection of the honour conferred him by the Nigerian Government in 2008 over the government’s mishandling of the country years after independence.
He was also a recipient of other awards such as the Bruno Kriesky Prize awarded to personalities who push for human rights, and a posthumous award of the Order of the Niger, Nigeria’s second-highest honour.
Sadiq Daba
Veteran actor and broadcaster, Sadiq Abubakar Daba, died on 3 March 2021. In 2017, he disclosed that he had been diagnosed with leukemia and prostate cancer.
The following year, Daba joined Project pink Blue on its walk against cancer to mark World Cancer Day.
Yinka Craig
Yinka Craig rose to the national spotlight from his stint at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) as a sports analyst before moving to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as a presenter on Newsline.
He died on 23 September 2008 after losing a battle with lymphatic cancer.
Maryam Babangida
She served as the first lady of the former Nigerian Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, between 1985 and 1993.
Mrs. Babangida died on 27 December 2009 of ovarian cancer while receiving treatment at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of California, Los Angeles.
She was well known for the creation of initiatives that catered to improving the lives of women in the country.
The term ‘Maryam Phenomenon’ was fashioned after her for her sense of fashion, style, and beauty.
Sunny Okosun
Afrobeat singer and activist, Sunny Okosun, was also a notable personality who died of cancer (Colon cancer).
He died on 24 May 2008 while receiving treatment at the Howard University Hospital, Washington DC.
He led the Ozzidi band and crafted songs that touched on socio-political issues affecting Nigerians and Africans as a whole. His songs contained Pan-African messages.
Aisha Abimbola
Popularly regarded as Omoge Campus, following a role she played in an eponymous movie, Aisha Abimbola died of breast cancer in a Candian hospital aged 46.
