Actor Jimoh Olayemi Shares Terrifying Health Ordeal After Film Shoot: “I Nearly Became Paralysed”
- Nigerian Yoruba actor Yemkem revealed he nearly became paralysed after returning from a film set in Abeokuta two years ago
- The actor spent N450,000 on medical treatment and sold his car to fund his recovery while continuing to pay rent
- Yemkem also opened up about his current financial hardship, revealing his landlord's children have asked him to vacate his home
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Yoruba-language actor Jimoh Olayemi, widely known as Yemkem, has shared a frightening health ordeal that left him fearing permanent paralysis, linking the crisis to a role he played in a Nollywood film.
Speaking during a recent episode of Agbaletu TV, the actor described returning home from a shoot in Itoko, Abeokuta, Ogun state, and noticing alarming changes in his body almost immediately.
Source: Instagram
"My words were going out fast, my legs were shaking, and my mouth was moving sideways. The children asked what happened to me. That's how I got into it," he recalled.
Yemkem said the film in question was titled Jogodi, in which his character suffers a stroke towards the end of the story. He believed the physical demands of performing that role had a direct effect on his body, noting that the symptoms appeared the same night he left the set.
People around him urged him not to dismiss what was happening, warning that it was serious. He eventually sought medical help, and a doctor advised him to reduce his body fat and placed him on prescription medication. The consultation and treatment cost him N450,000.
"The doctor asked me to reduce the fat in my body. He wrote some drugs for me. I gave him N450,000. As I was sick, I was still paying house rent," he said. "There were specific foods I was to eat."
Yemkem initially kept the illness away from the public eye, only going open about it after his condition worsened. At his lowest point, he sold his car to raise funds for treatment and also explored traditional medicine, including receiving incisions using cobra teeth.
A fellow actor stepped in to support him during the most difficult period, along with one other individual, helping him find a path towards recovery. Despite their assistance, the actor says he still experiences pain in his hands and legs.
Source: Instagram
His financial difficulties have continued beyond the health crisis. He disclosed that his landlord passed away, and the deceased's children have since been pressuring residents to leave the property. He added that everyday struggles, such as an argument with a motorcyclist, have been reducing him to tears.
"I no longer have money. The house I am living in now, the landlord died, and the children are already giving us signals to vacate the house. I still fought with a bike man just now. These things make me cry," he said.
Yemkem has featured in numerous productions within the Yoruba film industry over the course of his career.
In related news, Legit.ng reported that actor Adewale Elesho dropped a hint about his health while speaking about the late Taiwo Hassan Ogogo.
A YouTube video of actor Jimoh Olayemi, aka Yemkem, opening up about his health challenges is below:
Actor Olaiya Igwe clears air about his health
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a video showing veteran Yoruba actor Ebun Oloyede, popularly known as Olaiya Igwe, being helped into a building while walking with difficulty went viral on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
The video fueled claims that the actor was gravely ill and could no longer walk on his own.
The actor himself addressed the situation in a recent interview, stating clearly that he is in good health.
Source: Legit.ng
