Veteran actor recalls emotional hospital encounter with longtime friend as he mourns a friendship that began in 1984
By Lagos Panorama
The words have remained with veteran Nollywood actor Yinka Quadri — words spoken by his longtime friend and colleague, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, during what would become their final encounter.
“Yinka, don’t cry. Nothing bad will happen to me.”
Those were reportedly among the final words Ogogo said to Quadri when the veteran actor visited him in the hospital shortly before his death.
Quadri, who could not hold back his tears after seeing his longtime friend lying on his sick bed, recalled the emotional moment in a deeply personal tribute shared on his Instagram page following Ogogo’s death.
According to Quadri, despite Ogogo’s condition, the late actor tried to reassure him and urged him not to cry.
Quadri said he responded simply: “Yes, Amen.”
But beneath those words of reassurance was the painful reality that his friend’s condition was serious.
Looking back on the encounter, Quadri said he would never forget the sight of Ogogo lying in the hospital, adding that deep down, he knew his friend did not want to leave them so soon.
“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.’ Deep down, I know this was not your wish to leave us so soon,” he said.
A Friendship That Survived the Years
For Quadri, Ogogo was more than a colleague in the Nigerian film industry. He was a friend, confidant and companion whose relationship with him spanned more than four decades.
The two actors became friends in 1984, and according to Quadri, their bond grew stronger with time despite efforts by some people to drive them apart.
He recalled that rumours of disagreements occasionally circulated, but neither of them ever took their supposed differences to the public.
“We have known each other since 1984 and with time, our friendship grew beyond ordinary. Many people tried to create a distance between us but God never allowed it,” Quadri said.
He added:
“Neither of us ever went to the public to speak against the other. Whenever people heard rumours that we were fighting, they were only guessing. They never heard it from us.”
That enduring bond, forged in the early years of their careers, survived changing times, professional pressures, disagreements and the inevitable challenges that come with a decades-long friendship.
“I Will Forever Cherish the Memories”
As Quadri mourns the passing of his friend, he says what remains are the memories they created together — from movie locations and journeys to laughter, disagreements and reconciliations.
He described Ogogo’s departure as a painful loss that had created a void that words could hardly express.
“Your departure has left a space that words cannot fill but I will forever cherish the memories we shared, the laughter, the journeys, the movie locations, the disagreements we overcame and the countless moments that made our friendship special,” he said.
Then came perhaps the most poignant words of his tribute:
“You may have left this world but you will never leave my heart.”
A Final Farewell in Ilaro
Taiwo Hassan, widely celebrated as Ogogo, died at about 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the age of 66, after battling stage-four cancer.
His death was announced by fellow veteran actor Jide Kosoko, sending shockwaves across the Nigerian entertainment industry.
Ogogo was buried in his hometown, Ilaro, Ogun State, on Monday, August 24, in accordance with Islamic rites.
At the burial, grief was written across the faces of family members, friends, colleagues and admirers who gathered to pay their final respects to the veteran actor.
Tribune Online reported that Quadri broke down in tears during the burial — a poignant reflection of the depth of the friendship that had connected the two men for more than 40 years.
Ogogo may have taken his final bow, but for Yinka Quadri and countless others who knew and loved him, his memories remain alive.
And perhaps, amid the tears, Quadri will continue to hear the reassuring voice of his old friend:
“Yinka, don’t cry. Nothing bad will happen to me.”
