“He said Yinka don’t cry, nothing bad will happen to me,” Ogogo’s bossom friend since 1984 recounts final moments with him
Veteran actor Yinka Quadri has spoken about his longstanding friendship with late colleague Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, describing their relationship as deeper than a typical friendship.
In an emotional social media post, Quadri reminisced about Hassan’s life and recalled the final moments they shared at the hospital.
Quadri said it was painful to see his longtime friend lying on a hospital bed, but Hassan tried to reassure him, urging him not to be worried and expressing optimism that everything would be fine.
According to Quadri, Hassan asked for water during the visit and drank from it.
He also drew the doctors’ attention to confirm that he had eaten earlier that morning.
Quadri noted that the interaction gave him renewed hope, while the medical team advised the family to remain prayerful.
The actor expressed gratitude that Hassan did not endure a prolonged illness that would have required moving him from place to place in search of help.
He thanked God for the life Hassan lived and the memories he left behind, and prayed for forgiveness of his shortcomings and eternal rest for his soul.
Speaking on their relationship, Quadri said they had known each other since 1984.
Over the years, their friendship deepened despite efforts by some people to create distance between them.
He concluded by acknowledging that death is inevitable for all, and that believers must accept God’s will even in painful moments.
Quadri wrote: “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return.)
“The word of God reminds us that everything in this world has an end. Both the rich and the póor, the mighty and the humble, will all taste death. Who are we to question the will of our Creator?
“Today, with a heavy heart, I thank God for the beautiful life you lived, my bosom friend, Taiwo Hassan Ogogo. I thank God that you did not have to go through a prolonged struggle that would have left us constantly seeking financial assistance to care for you. I thank God that your illness did not keep us moving you from one place to another in search of help. Above all, I thank God for the life He gave you and the memories you left behind.
“May the Almighty forgive your shortcomings, grant you eternal rest, and receive your soul into His loving care.
“Taiwo Hassan, I will never forget the last time I saw you at the hospital. You were lying on your sick bed, and when I saw you, I could not hold back my tears. You looked at me and said, “Yinka, don’t cry. Nothing bad will happen to me.” I responded, “Yes, Amen.”
“A few minutes later, you asked me to give you the bottle of water on the table. I gave it to you, and you drank from it. Then you looked at me and said, “Yinka, can you see that I drank the water, even though I ate this morning?” You asked the doctors to confirm whether it was true that you had eaten that morning, and they confirmed it.
“At that moment, I said, “Glory be to God.” My hope and faith became even stronger. The doctors only advised us to remain prayerful.
“Deep down, I know this was not your wish. It was not your wish to leave us so soon. It was not your wish to leave your children, your family, your friends, and the many people who loved you. But as painful as it is, we must accept the unquestionable will of God.
“How many of our memories can I possibly remember? We have known each other since 1984, and with time, our friendship grew into something beyond ordinary friendship. Many people tried to create a distance between us, but God never allowed it”.
Hassan’s death has continued to draw tributes from colleagues in the Nollywood industry.
