Popular skitmaker and social media influencer, MC Always aka Egbon Adugbo, has turned the painful experience of losing his wife to cancer into a campaign for a more functional healthcare system in Nigeria.
The entertainer recently opened about his wife’s battle with cancer and the experience his family encountered while seeking treatment, saying the ordeal exposed him to what he believes are serious challenges within Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
Speaking during an appearance on TV, MC Always recounted the painful journey of trying to save his wife and explained why he has decided to use his platform to advocate for a healthcare system that works for Nigerians.
According to him, his wife’s experience made him realise that many Nigerian families are quietly going through similar struggles without having the platform to tell their stories.
MC Always said his decision to begin the campaign was not simply driven by anger over the loss of his wife, rather, he said, the experience opened his eyes to the difficulties faced by people dealing with serious illnesses, particularly cancer patients and the families caring for them.
He has raised concerns about access to treatment, the cost of healthcare, medical facilities and the challenges patients encounter while navigating the healthcare system.
His campaign has particularly drawn attention to the healthcare situation in Lagos and his family’s experience within the state’s healthcare system.
But according to Egbon Adugbo, something happened after he began speaking publicly about his wife’s experience that convinced him the issue was much bigger than his own story.
The skitmaker said cancer patients and family members caring for loved ones battling the disease began reaching out to him after hearing his story.
He said many of them have been calling to share their own experiences with the healthcare system, recounting the difficulties they have encountered while trying to obtain treatment for themselves or their relatives.
The calls, according to MC Always, have changed his perception of the campaign.
What initially began as his personal decision to speak about his wife’s experience has, in his view, developed into a wider responsibility to give voice to other Nigerians experiencing similar situations.