Nollywood actress, Joke Silva has mourned late veteran actor Sadiq Daba, who became a household in Nigeria for his role as Bitrus in the NTA drama series Cock Crow at Dawn.
It was gathered that he died on Wednesday evening after falling critical ill at his Marwa Garden residence in Alausa, Lagos State.
“Yes, he is dead. May his soul rest in peace,” an actor close to him said in a message to this online newspaper.
Another source said “he was rushed from his Marwa Garden home in an ambulance to Ikeja General Hospital but died inside the Ambulance.”
Joke Silva in a post on Instagram wrote; “Uncle Sadiq you had a good run.I thank God that you worked till the end. Rest well dear friend. Rest well.🙏🏾”
Mr Daba had been ill with leukemia and prostate cancer for years before his death
He reached out to the public for financial assistance for medical treatment in October 2019.
This plea came three months after billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, announced he would take over the medical expenses of the actor who had been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
President of Women Arise for Change Initiative, Joe Okei-Odumakin, disclosed in an Instagram post that Daba’s health had taken a nosedive.
“We use this medium to appeal to you, our great people to lend a helping hand to our ailing TV Personality.
“May your love for our fellow human beings be eternally rewarded as we pray for swift healing of our friend, Sadiq.
“Please send your support to the dedicated account and send the alert through messenger,” Okei-Odumakin wrote, adding that they have a N1million target.
Daba was diagnosed with leukaemia and prostate cancer in 2017.
He travelled to London for treatment after a campaign for fund organised by Okei-Odumakin, Mabel Oboh, Soni Irabor and Azuka Jebose.
There were reports in 2020 that he was on the verge of losing his sight, five years after he won the Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for best actor for his role as Inspector Waziri in Kunel Afolayan’s October 1.
Daba’s last major acting project was Afolayan’s Citation released on Netflix last year.
