Veteran Nigerian actress Rita Edochie has taken a firm stance against the troubling trend of fake death rumours involving celebrities.
In an emotional outburst on Instagram, Edochie called out bloggers and social media content creators who, hoping to chase online clout, spread false and damaging narratives about public figures.
“This rumour has come up before. A couple of days ago, it came up the second time,” Edochie wrote, referencing the recent circulation of false claims about the deaths of her “great son” and colleague, Osita Iheme, popularly known as PawPaw.
“Pictures of my great son and veteran colleague trended everywhere on social media with captions that they are dead—not him. Crazy netizens believed the fake gist and began commenting RIP on themselves.”
The actress didn’t hold back as she condemned the insensitivity of such actions. “Why, in the name of God, would you wish untimely death on someone, especially Nigerian celebrities, simply because you feel we are famous and can fetch you the traffic, engagements, and funds that you don’t deserve?” she questioned.
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Edochie’s frustration stems from the frequency of these incidents. Over the years, she and her husband, legendary actor Sir Pete Edochie, have been targets of similar false reports.
Recalling a particularly jarring incident, she shared how rumours of her death circulated after her role in the movie Calabash, where her character died and was meant to decompose.
“Bloggers started posting that I had an accident with my entire family members and died—not me,” she explained. Similarly, fake news once claimed Sir Pete had died during a trip to the United States.
The actress also highlighted how the trend has escalated from character defamation to outright death hoaxes, branding it as a harmful misuse of social media.
While acknowledging the benefits of these platforms in empowering Nigerian youths, Edochie emphasized that their abuse tarnishes society.
“Social media has literally done more harm than good to the society,” she lamented, calling for an end to the menace.
Edochie’s impassioned appeal reflects a broader issue within the digital space, where some bloggers and content creators prioritize clicks over integrity.
The actress made it clear that celebrities, while public figures are human beings deserving of respect and privacy.
“If we all die today as celebrities, na who una go come dey watch?” she asked sarcastically, driving home the point that such actions are not only harmful but counterproductive.
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