Cultural ambassador and style icon Farooq Oreagba has opened up about a deeply personal journey that few people knew about.
His story, shared on World Cancer Day, came as a surprise to many who only see his public confidence. However, behind the calm image was a long and demanding fight for survival.
Oreagba revealed that his cancer journey began unexpectedly on February 3, 2014. He explained that he went for a routine medical scan, not because he felt unwell. Instead, the visit was driven purely by caution. A week later, the test results arrived with news he said he would never forget.
He was diagnosed with stage one multiple myeloma, a cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow.
At the time, there was no known family history of cancer. Moreover, his youngest child was only two years old, which made the news even harder to process.
Soon after the diagnosis, treatment was started. Chemotherapy was introduced, and by August 2014, a stem cell transplant was carried out. The procedure was described as successful. Therefore, hope slowly returned during a very uncertain period.
On February 4, 2015, exactly one year after his diagnosis journey began, Oreagba was declared in “complete remission.” However, the relief did not mean the battle had ended.
In addition, he explained that treatment continued for several years. He completed seven more years of chemotherapy, bringing the total treatment period to eight years. That long phase finally ended in August 2022. Throughout that time, his strength was tested repeatedly, yet his resolve remained firm.
Meanwhile, he continued to live quietly, choosing not to make his health struggles public.
Furthermore, he stressed the importance of early checks, noting that his cancer was discovered before symptoms appeared.
Today, Farooq Oreagba says his life has taken on new meaning. He now attends routine quarterly checkups and lives with gratitude.
