Popular Nigerian music producer, Babatunde Okugbowa (49), fondly called by his showbiz moniker, OJB Jezreel, died yesterday at 9am from complications from complete kidney failure. He died about three weeks to his 50th birthday. His first wife, Mabel, said her husband thought he would live to mark his 50th birthday on July 4.
She said: “He had already started planning for his 50th birthday and he said he would die a fulfilled man if God allowed him to clock 50, but he died without achieving that. God knows best.”
OJB, who had a kidney transplant in 2013, from the one donated by Mabel, had unstable health condition in the last one year as his body system started rejecting the new kidney despite using all prescribed medications. It was learnt that the failure of OJB’s kidney became more complicated a month ago, when he started having dialysis twice a week.
This was against the previous situation where he had dialysis once a week. This situation became worrisome to the music star as his budget for dialysis increased from N35,000 per session every week to N70,000, the cost of two. This new development was a difficult one for the ace producer who found it hard to pay the bills as he was not active again professionally.
He relied so much on the goodwill of his friends who were determined to ensure he overcame the difficult situation. OJB’s health took a dip for the worst last week when his breathing deteriorated and he started going for dialysis on a daily basis.
At this point Mabel became worried and scared that, there was a possibility that OJB might not survive this time around. She told our correspondent that at this point she could not keep her husband out of sight as she had to monitor his breathing every minute to be sure he was still alive.
Mabel added that she could not even open her mini-supermarket just in front of the house, as she had to apply the mini-oxygen tube on him regularly to avoid letting him pass out. She said: “Feeding at this point was also difficult for my husband as he completely lost his appetite and could not talk again. Communication became very tough and I knew that if OJB could not talk on pressing matters affecting the country that means his condition was very critical.
“He was someone who loved to talk and make comments on thing happening around him, but for him not to have the strength to talk, it was a critical condition.”
Mabel disclosed that she had to rush her husband to a private hospital in Lagos, very early yesterday morning since the General Hospital at Gbagada, where he used to have his dialysis, was on strike. At the hospital, he was quickly placed on oxygen and admitted to the emergency ward for quick treatment, but his condition worsened by the minutes as the doctors said his entire body system had shut down and while trying to revive him he gave up the ghost at 9am.
OJB is survived by three wives, June, Korede, Mabel (Mama J) and eight children. The remains of music producer have been deposited at the Isolo General Hospital morgue. At the house located on 4, Gbaja Street off Akerele, Surulere, Lagos, sympathisers, friends and relatives trooped in to identify with the family.
