Self-proclaimed relationship and mental health expert Blessing Okoro, widely known as Blessing CEO, has maintained that she does not owe anyone an apology regarding the controversy over her breast cancer disclosure.
Speaking in an interview with social media influencer Egungun of Lagos, shared on Saturday, she rejected reports that she had a stage four diagnosis and clarified that she received N13m—not the widely circulated N100m—in public donations.
“For what? Who did I hurt?” she said when asked to apologise to those who felt misled by her stage four claim.
“I think I’m not a doctor and maybe I just passed the message that a doctor gave to me.”
She suggested the stage four claim may have resulted from a misunderstanding. “Maybe it’s miscommunication because that was what I was told, but I’m also trying to, when you do your biopsy, I want to have different options and be sure of what I’m doing,” she explained.
Okoro added that her oncologist has not yet confirmed the exact stage of the illness.
“I don’t know the stage I am right now because I’ve run all the tests. In a few days’ time I’ll go back to my oncologist and they will be able to tell me the exact stage,” she said.
She noted that chemotherapy has not started, stating that the biopsy is the latest procedure she has undergone.
She explained that the issue began with a lump discovered last year, which doctors initially said was not cancerous, but later tests showed otherwise.
“It was a lump. Initially they said it was not cancerous. After a few months when I wanted to take out the lump they now said it is cancerous,” she said.
Regarding calls to make her medical records public, she declined. “I can’t post my results online. It’s personal stuff,” she said.
She also dismissed claims that she raised N100m, reiterating that the total amount received was N13m. “I never reached N100 million,” she said.
Speaking about the possibility of a mastectomy, she said, “We are hoping it doesn’t get to that point, but if it gets to that point, the most important thing is let me be alive.”
She used the opportunity to encourage breast cancer awareness, advising women to check themselves regularly for signs such as lumps.
“As a lady, the most common kind of cancer we have is breast cancer. So please every morning when you wake up always try to check your breast and check if there is a lump,” she said.
Her firm position comes as public debate over her claims continues to grow.
While her initial announcement attracted sympathy from fans and public figures, doubts soon emerged due to the lack of verifiable medical proof.
There have also been accusations of falsifying medical documents, with a woman, Deborah Mbara, alleging that Okoro altered her reports to mislead the public.
On Thursday, businessman Alafaa Kariboye-Igbo, also known as Oil Money, who claimed he donated N20m, posted a legal demand on Instagram asking Okoro to return the money within seven days or face legal consequences, including possible law enforcement involvement.
Okoro has faced controversy in the past, including a 2019 incident where she falsely claimed ownership of a luxury property, which led to her arrest and a later public apology.