By Burnett Munthali_
The death of Nigerian veteran actor Mr Ibu leaves behind many lessons regarding family. This article endeavours to highlight what he went through and what men can learn from all this pain and destruction the Nigerian movie star went through.
Mr Ibu
Who Is Mr Ibu Ex-Wife?: Born on October 17, 1961, Mr. Ibu, officially known as John Ikechukwu Okafor is a Nigerian actor and comedian. He developed a passion for acting at a younger age, has been consistent throughout his career, and became one of the most sought-after Nigerian actors. Throughout his career, he has starred in over 200 Nollywood movies including; Mr. Ibu, Mr. Ibu & His Son, Coffin Producers, Husband Suppliers, International Players, Mr.Ibu in London, Police Recruit, 9 Wives, Ibu in Prison, and Keziah, among others.
In 2023, Nollywood celebrity John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu, got his fair share of marital troubles as his second wife, Stella Maris, accused him of, among other things, having an affair with his adopted daughter, Jasmine. In a video which circulated on social media, Ms Stella lamented how she had been catering for their children all by herself despite the domestic abuse from the actor. She claimed that Jasmine was taking advantage of her husband’s memory loss issue and using him for fame despite having a child of her own. Her recording in their residence showed her crying, accusing the comedic actor of beating her and trying to kill her. She also accused him of neglecting their kids, saying that they were not eating and the compound and her car were in disrepair .
On 4 February 2023, Stella, the wife of popular Nollywood actor, John Okafor, also known as Mr Ibu apologised to his adopted daughter Jasmine after accusing her husband of being in a romantic relationship with his daughter. Stella had in a chat with a blogger alleged that Mr Ibu was having an affair with Jasmine adding that she (Jasmine) had taken over her husband’s Instagram account in an attempt to dupe him because he suffered from dementia.
She also said that her children were not attending school because Jasmine had been receiving all of her husband’s income. However, debunking the allegations by his wife, Mr Ibu, in an Instagram live session with Daddy Freeze and his second son Daniel, said Stella was aware that Jasmine is his adopted daughter.
He said, “Stella is my second wife and she’s aware that Jasmine is my adopted daughter before I married her,” adding that he had always been taking care of his wife and children. His son also stated that Jasmine took care of their father when Stella refused to stay with him in the hospital and paid N500,000 to retrieve and verify their father’s Instagram account. As the world is mourning the death of legendary Nollywood actor John Okafor popularly known as Mr Ibu, shocking details about how he died all alone and how his money and donated funds were squandered by his wife and daughter have emerged. The heartbreaking details have shed light on the immense pain, suffering, and heartache that Mr Ibu endured during his lifetime, leaving a profound impact on the hearts of many.
Nollywood actor, John Okafor, a.k.a Mr Ibu, did not pretend when it came to the issue of marriage. And that’s why when his first marriage crashed, he stayed away from women for six years before he found love again. The comic actor and producer would tell anyone that cared to listen that he married the most beautiful woman in the world. Called her his ‘first class’ or ‘queen’, Mr. Ibu believed that his latest wife, Stella Maris Okafor, was a compensation from God, after what he called the ugly experience he had with his former wife. His story is inspiring. Mr Ibu was scared of women after the ugly experience with his first-wife.
Marriage
Marriage, a legally and socially sanctioned union, usually between a man and a woman, that is regulated by laws, rules, customs, beliefs, and attitudes that prescribe the rights and duties of the partners and accords status to their offspring (if any). In the Bible, Marriage involves spiritual, emotional, and physical closeness. In the Old Testament, we are taught, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Married couples are meant to be unified in every possible way.
A man needs to know that the ultimate team is marriage. It’s the team that anchors a family. It’s a bonded relationship that mirrors God’s sacrificial, unconditional, lasting love for his children (those who by faith have accepted His sacrifice and adoption into his eternal family).
The truth about marriage is that it seems that the understanding that two people become one unit, pledging their love for each other, is the general consensus across most believers. It could therefore be argued that most people would buy into the fact that marriage is the sharing of two lives, bonding their spirits, bodies and souls in union.
Epilogue
In October 2023, Mr Ibu revealed that he was suffering from an ailment suspected to be diabetes. In an earlier interview, the actor said he was struck by the problem while on a movie set with colleagues.
A close associate of the family confirmed to Channels Television that the ace actor died on Saturday afternoon after he was moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Evercare Hospital, Lekki a few days ago. Mr Ibu, 62, died of cardiac arrest after he had a relapse about a week ago and was rushed to the Lagos-based hospital.
