Mr Ibu’s family get millions in donations after widow’s public cry over hardship

• Following a public plea regarding their financial struggles, the family of late Nollywood actor Mr Ibu received ₦7.5 million in public donations via an appeal by his widow, Stella Okafor, and content creator King Mitchy.

The funds will be used to pay the children’s outstanding school fees (including WAEC registration), cover the family’s rent, and help them transition into a more affordable home.

• The public appeal sparked a family clash, with Mr Ibu's third son, Somtochukwu Okafor, publicly disputing the claims of poverty and accusing his stepmother of hoarding his late father's estate and secretly selling a Lagos property for ₦60 million.

​It was earlier reported that Stella spoke about her family’s struggles in a recent interview with content creator King Mitchy. She said they have been without electricity for two months due to unpaid bills, and her children were sent home from school because of unpaid fees.

​Her request sparked a wave of support on social media, with many people donating to help the late actor’s family.

​Taking to her Instagram on Friday, the content creator disclosed that the donations would be used to pay school fees, register the eldest daughter for WAEC, and help with rent.

​“First of all, I sincerely want to thank everyone who donated. Together, we raised ₦7.5 million for the family. God bless every single one of you,” the post reads.

The post added: “This support will help pay the children’s school fees, including the eldest daughter’s WAEC fees, which they couldn’t afford. It will also help them with rent. After speaking with the mother, I advised her to move to a more affordable house, and we had a very long conversation.

​I’ll be posting the other parts of our conversation because there’s so much to share. I also asked her some of the questions many of you have been asking. I only met her two days ago after a neighbour called me to help.

​I knew nothing about the family’s situation before then. My only focus from the beginning has been to make sure the children get the help they deserve. Thank you all once again for making this possible.”

The downturn in fortune of the late actor’s family has brought to light the common economic difficulty that plagues entertainers and celebrities after they step away from the limelight. Earlier in the year, Abiodun Ayoyinka, the actor behind the famous Papa Ajasco character, pleaded with fans and well-wishers for financial support after falling into hard times.