Culture Minister Musawa Reveals: Nollywood Icon Zack Orji Undergoes Brain Surgery

Hannatu Musawa, the Minister of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, visited the ailing Nollywood veteran, Zack Orji, at a private hospital in Abuja on Tuesday. Orji, 64, underwent brain surgery after being transferred from the National Hospital, where he was initially admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

Musawa, accompanied by family members and received by Zack Orji’s wife, Ngozi Orji, spoke about the importance of supporting the actor during his health challenges. The minister expressed the government’s goodwill and emphasized the vital role Orji played in shaping Nigeria’s film industry.

“This is a man who has given his time, his effort not only to make us laugh but to entertain Nigerians for decades,” Musawa stated. “The least that we can do as an administration is to give him all the necessary support to ensure that he recovers quickly.”

Musawa, acknowledging the delicacy of neurosurgery, called for prayers and support from Nigerians for Zack Orji and his family. She reassured the public of the government’s commitment to the welfare of creative industry stakeholders and announced personal financial assistance to support Orji’s medical bills.

“The ministry of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, under my watch, is working painstakingly towards ensuring that programmes and policies are in place towards the welfare of industry players,” she affirmed.

Musawa added, “One of our initiatives in the ministry is to ensure that we look at and interrogate the different policies in terms of the kind of welfare that we give them and we will be able to run that very soon.”

The minister concluded by stating that members of the entertainment industry, as well as those in the arts, culture, and creative economy, would have full support from the current administration as part of the renewed hope agenda. She conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the growth of the creative industries and the overall well-being of its contributors.

Zack Orji, a respected figure in Nollywood, reportedly slumped on New Year’s Eve, leading to his admission to the National Hospital before undergoing neurosurgery at a private facility.