Chidi Mokeme recounts experience with partial facial paralysis

Nollywood actor, Chidi Mokeme recently shared a harrowing experience of waking up with partial facial paralysis, a condition known as bell's palsy.

Recounting the incident during an interview with Chude Jideonwo, Mokeme described the confusion and frustration of his mind wanting to perform simple actions while his body failed to respond.

“This happened as I woke up one morning. Probably, this happened in the middle of the night. Luckily for me, I was away in the US, so I was at home. So I woke up that morning. I tried to reach my phone. The mind wants to pick up the phone, but the body is not responding. It is a very confused state," he said.

In the midst of this distressing situation, Mokeme's wife suspected a stroke, and the hospital quickly became involved, he shared. After tests, the diagnosis revealed that he was experiencing bell's palsy, a condition where facial muscles lose control, leading to drooping and impaired movement.

Despite the uncertainty of the cause and potential permanence of the condition, Mokeme remained determined not to let it hinder him. He shared how some individuals waited months or even years for improvement, but his resilience shone through. Instead of succumbing to the challenges posed by bell's palsy, he decided to prove to himself that it wouldn't hinder his life.

“I said that is not going to stop me. I am going to get up. That is what I could have told my brother if he came in. Do not let that stop you. You have to keep going. That is just a small distraction,” he emphasised.

In a remarkable display of determination, the actor demonstrated his commitment to overcoming adversity by leaving for Lagos the day after the diagnosis of bell's palsy, even during an ongoing tour for the film 76.