Living to read their death stories

Insideafrik
NEWS, NIGERIA

From D’Banj to Pete Edochie and more, several artistes fell victim to rumours of their death last year

It has been described as an ‘unfortunate child’ of the social media age – yet celebrity death hoaxes is one vice we must learn to live with. So strong are these stories  that ironically, in the world of showbiz, sports and politics, an individual cannot possibly be said to have really made ‘it’ if his or her name has not been added to this growing ‘death list.’

Beneath the needless concern and grief these stories cause the victims, fans and readers, lie some sinister explanation of why they (death hoaxes) appear. Little wonder, critics say they sometimes emanate from the victim themselves, in a bid to remain relevant.

Veteran actor, Pete Edochie, who is the most recent Nigerian artiste to have been hit, chose to debunk the allegations via yet another equally popular social media network, YouTube, on January 4. In his case, the origin was traceable. It all began after a young man, Hyacinth Ani, posted on his Facebook account that the actor died after falling off a 50 feet height in Kitzbuhel, Austria.

In the video, Edochie said he heard the rumour of his death in Austria and was stunned because he does not fly and would not have travelled all the way from Nigeria to Austria on foot.

“I found it very amusing even though it disturbed my family and all the people who know me. As the head of an Igbo family, I couldn’t have travelled anywhere during the Christmas season as it is a period when family members come home from all parts of the world to celebrate and have meetings.”

The fact that many of the supposed deaths occur at the same place or emanate from the same source or website is also a source of concern. For instance, 2face Idibia, ‘a veteran’ in this regard, was rumoured to have died several times last year after sustaining fractures while jet skiing in a marina on Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos Islands, West Indies.

For legendary Juju gospel singer, Evan. Ebenezer Obey, it has become a regular practice to spread sinister rumours of his death every other month in the last two years, leaving his bewildered fans confused about the true story. Reacting to this claims, Obey, who recently returned from the UK, where he honoured a performance engagement,  said, “One month, they will say this has happened to Obey; another month, they say that has happened to Obey. Yet, I am fine. The Lord I’m serving is a good God and He is good to me. I’m fine and well. It does not affect me personally, but it bothers my fans, admirers, and friends all over the world.  I don’t want my people to be troubled all the time. Spreading bad rumours about other people is very bad and it must be stopped. It is evil. ”

Then it was the Koko master, Dbanj’,  aka Dapo Banjo’s,  turn in June last year. The story had it that he was shot by three unknown gun men and was left for dead. The shooting was alleged to have taken place in Atlanta, US, after he paid his label boss, Kanye West,  a visit. In a similar vein, Dbanj tweeted back then,  saying, “Pls ignore the nonsense rumours. I’m very much alive and well! Thanks be to God! Thank you 4 all your concern.”

Fans of actor-director, Desmond Elliot , also had a fair share of the trouble following the rumour of the death of the baby-faced thespian, who was away in Ghana, at the time. This time around, the story had different versions as some claimed he was slaughtered in a hotel, while others said he was involved in a fatal accident.

But it was later discovered to be a case of mistaken identity as a popular Jamaican broadcaster with same name had died months earlier. The Jamaican Elliot, was the former director of TV programmes at the Jamaican Broadcasting Corporation as well as free lance producer of Golden Memories, a popular programme on the Jamaican TV.

Although some persons may choose to see the humour in this numerous hoax tales, Fuji Star, Wasiu Ayinde Marshall,  did not find the news of his death funny at all. In fact, the 55 year-old artiste was actually reading the story of his death in a popular publication at a time when some persons where already planning his funeral. Thankfully, it did inspire him to release a track-sung in a blend of Pidgin English and Yoruba language, singing  “Na jeje I sit down for my house/ Somebody brought me evening paper o/ Dem wrote say Wasiu I die/ Ije tete tete e majedangunro.”