Kemi Afolabi, the Nigerian actress, has opened up about her near-death experience after her lupus diagnosis.
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the body’s organs and tissues.
In March 2022, Afolabi revealed she was diagnosed with the condition the previous year and was told by her doctor that she had only five years to live.
The revelation drew an outpouring of concern and support from fans, celebrities, and colleagues in the movie industry.
By July 2022, she had commenced treatment at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, United States.
Speaking in a recent interview on Doyin Kukoyi TV, Afolabi said she had prepared for the worst when her health deteriorated.
The actress recalled how the illness was difficult to diagnose in Nigeria, adding that she “bought where I would be buried and wrote my will”.
Afolabi disclosed that she is still managing the condition with medications and regular trips overseas for treatment.
“When I was down with Lupus, I thought the end had come. I was on my sickbed and couldn’t eat or drink. I was using oxygen to breathe. I already bought where I would be buried, and I even wrote my will because I thought it was all over,” she said.
“But God said it was not yet time to go. I survived with the power of God, the support of my fans, and my family. My colleagues surprised me. Everybody stood up for me.
“Lupus has killed a lot of people. I had never heard of it till I experienced it. I was diagnosed with several illnesses before discovering it was Lupus. It is an autoimmune disease that makes your body’s system work against itself.
“Every joint in my body gave me excruciating pain. The pain from childbirth is nothing compared to the pain of Lupus. It was difficult. I stayed longer at LUTH because they couldn’t tell what was wrong with me until I traveled out and was told it’s Lupus.
“Lupus has no cure. I am still managing it with medications, but I’m better. I travel abroad every now and then because of it. I have improved tremendously because there was a time when I had to get an injection every day. I can’t be under the light for a long time like I used to when acting.
“People were saying so many things, but the one that got to me most and made me sad was when someone made a video of my situation and said I have been used.
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