The Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musawa, has called on well meaning Nigerians to rally behind ailing Nollywood actor, Zack Orji, for support after he underwent a brain surgery on January 1.
According to a statement on Wednesday, signed by her Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, Musawa made the appeal on Tuesday after she visited the actor in a private hospital in Wuse.
“God will heal him. We will do all we can to support him. We solicit the collective prayers of Nigerians because he is like a part of our families. We have watched him entertain us and we see him as a national treasure. So, the best we can do is to ensure that we support him to have the best treatment.
“We will reach out to other well meaning Nigerians to support Zack Orji through prayers and other means available to ensure that he survives this ailment. This is not only about the Ministry which I am representing. You know that Zack Orji has been in the industry for decades.
“This is a man who has given his time and effort to entertain Nigerians. He is one of the individuals who laid the foundation for Nollywood and the film industry in Nigeria but now he is sick and the least we can do as an administration is to give him all the necessary support through prayers and otherwise to ensure that we save his life.
“This will also propel the administration to look at the welfare of artistes and others in the industry, who have not only given their time and energy, but people like Zack Orji, who have become national treasures,” she said.
“We thank God that he is alive today. He had an emergency surgery late last night after we moved him out of the previous hospital and that saved his life. We seek the support of kind Nigerians to pray for his quick recovery and assist us in any way they deem necessary,” the Nollywood star’s wife, Ngozi Zack Orji, pleaded.
