Kemi Afolabi Recounts Battle With Lupus, Says She Once Prepared For Death

Nollywood actress, Kemi Afolabi, has shared a deeply emotional account of her ongoing battle with lupus, revealing that at one point, she believed her life was coming to an end.

In a candid interview with Doyin Kukoyi TV, the actress recalled how the illness left her unable to eat or drink, dependent on oxygen for survival, and compelled her to purchase a burial plot and write her will.

Afolabi disclosed that she had never heard of lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks its organs, until she was diagnosed. Before then, she endured excruciating joint pains “worse than childbirth” and multiple wrong diagnoses at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). It was only after seeking treatment abroad that she received the correct diagnosis.

According to her, lupus has no cure, and she now manages the condition with daily medications and injections. She also travels abroad regularly for treatment and avoids prolonged exposure to light, a restriction that has significantly impacted her acting career.

“When I was down with lupus, I thought the end had come. I couldn’t eat or drink. I was using oxygen to breathe. I had already bought a place for my burial and written my will, but God said it was not yet time. I survived with the power of God, and the support of my family, friends, and colleagues,” she said.

She lamented that the disease had claimed many lives and shared how hurtful it was to hear people attribute her illness to “spiritual attacks.”

“Lupus will make your body work against itself. The organs will not function properly. Childbirth pain is nothing compared to lupus pain. People said many things, but what hurt me most was someone saying I had been used spiritually,” she added.

Despite the challenges, Afolabi continues to fight, expressing gratitude for life and the support she has received throughout her health journey.