Nigerian veteran disc jockey, Oluwaforijimi Adewale Amu, commonly known as DJ Jimmy Jatt, has opened up about his health struggles. The 58-year-old artist revealed that he lost his sight in 2020 and later received a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease linked to a prior condition—diabetes.
During a recent episode of Channels TV’s Rubbin’ Minds, hosted by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, the iconic DJ shared insights into his challenging journey. Born in Lagos Island, he explained that his health issues began after he chose to travel more extensively, having spent most of his life in Nigeria.
In his own words, he reflected, “Maybe I caused it myself because, in 2019, I decided to spend more time outside Nigeria. I had lived all my life in Lagos and wanted to explore other parts of the world—Europe, America, everywhere.”
However, in 2020, he began facing serious health challenges. Due to travel restrictions at that time, he had to remain in Nigeria, where he lost his vision and underwent surgery to restore it. After his recovery, he still felt the urge to live abroad, which led him to move to the U.S., where he was later diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.
While in the U.S., he was on dialysis for a period before returning to Nigeria for a kidney transplant. Post-surgery, he took the necessary time off to recover fully, and after being discharged, he ventured abroad again.
Despite his health challenges, he continued DJing in America and Europe before deciding to return to Nigeria in December. It’s worth noting that DJ Jimmy Jatt clarified that his kidney disease was not a result of lifestyle choices, stating, “I’ve never smoked and have long stopped drinking alcohol.”
Story by Obaapa Janee
