Veteran Nollywood actress Rita Edochie has voiced her outrage over the persistent spread of false death rumors about her colleague, Osita Iheme, popularly known as Pawpaw.
In a fiery Instagram post, Rita Edochie condemned the fake news, which continues to resurface and cause unnecessary grief among fans.
She called out those responsible for spreading the rumors, emphasizing their negative impact on both celebrities and their followers.
“This rumor has surfaced before,” Edochie wrote.
“Just a few days ago, it came up again. Pictures of my great son and veteran colleague, Osita Iheme, trended everywhere on social media with captions claiming they were dead. Crazy netizens believed the fake gist and started commenting RIP on themselves.”
She also criticized fans who naively believe such false reports and mourn without verifying the truth.
Drawing from her own experiences, Edochie recounted instances where bloggers used photos from her movie scenes to spread false death rumors about her and her husband, legendary actor Pete Edochie.
She pointed to a specific incident during the production of “Calabash,” where her character’s death on screen was misconstrued as real.
Edochie didn’t hold back in calling for accountability. She urged society to crack down on bloggers who spread misinformation, advocating for ethical practices in content creation.
While she acknowledged social media’s potential to empower Nigerian youths, Edochie criticized its misuse, stating that it often causes “more harm than good.”
Her heartfelt plea highlights the importance of verifying information before sharing it and the need to protect public figures from the harm caused by baseless rumors.
“If we all die today, as celebrities, who will you have left to watch?” Edochie asked, leaving her audience with a thought-provoking reminder of the value of integrity in the digital age.
