I am not dead- Ngozi Ezeonu dispels death rumours

Nigerian veteran actress Ngozi Ezeonu has vehemently denied reports of her demise. The actress took to her Instagram page to address the false claims, assuring her followers that she is "alive and healthy."

The confusion stemmed from a recent post on Ezeonu's Instagram account, where she shared an image of a half-burnt candle.

Misinterpretation led to speculations about her passing, prompting the actress to set the record straight in a video message.

She clarified that the candle post was a heartfelt tribute to a close friend she recently lost.

“I lost a very close friend of mine, I posted a candle, a half-burnt candle and they now put my picture on that candle and everybody is saying that I died.

“It is wrong. I am alive and healthy, please.

Expressing her frustration, she highlighted the consequences of irresponsible journalism and similarly media outlets to verify information before disseminating it to the public.

"In journalism, what you do when in doubt is you leave out. If you cannot get across to the person to at least confirm the story, you don’t post," she emphasised.

"The calls I have been receiving have been very worrisome. I don’t know why anybody should take my post," she added, expressing concern over the impact such false reports can have on individuals and their families.

She appealed for empathy and understanding in the new year. She questioned the motives behind spreading unverified information that could potentially harm individuals emotionally and tarnish reputations.

“Don’t do that, please. Don’t try it again. This is a new year, why would anybody want to hurt each other just because they want people to follow them?”