The Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Delta State Governor, Ossai Ovie, has criticised Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Omoni Oboli, over the release of her movie featuring the late actor, Alexx Ekubo, shortly after his burial.
Oboli had announced the premiere of the film, The First Lady, on her YouTube channel as a tribute to Ekubo, stating that all financial proceeds from the broadcast would be donated to the family of the late actor.
However, expressing his disappointment via a social media post, Ossai described the timing of the release as inappropriate, arguing that the filmmaker was leveraging public grief to boost her digital platform.
“I’m disappointed in Omoni Oboli for using Alexx Ekubo’s burial to promote her movie and to cash out. Using someone’s death as PR to gain subscribers is disturbing, and to cash out under the pretentious ‘All proceeds from the movie go to the family of late Alex Ekubo’ or to keep his memories alive is disappointing.”
He further stated that, while the donation of proceeds might distract from the primary intent, the announcement could have been delayed out of respect for the deceased. He added that a funeral should not be used as a promotional event.
Oboli had earlier explained that the film marked the beginning of her decade-long friendship with Ekubo, who passed away at the age of 40 from advanced metastatic kidney cancer and was laid to rest on Thursday, Arochukwu, Abia State.
