The family of Nollywood actress Tope Osoba has denied reports that she died from cancer complications, calling the stories spreading online false and unauthorised.
Osoba passed away on Tuesday evening, not long after talking with some of her colleagues on the phone.
She reportedly posted “Ogo Tuntun,” which means “new glory” in Yoruba, on her WhatsApp status around 7:23 pm before she died.
After the news broke, many social media users and online platforms connected her death to her earlier fight with breast cancer.
Osoba’s family posted a statement on her official Instagram account on Thursday, denying the reports about how she died.
The statement said, “We are deeply saddened by the spread of false and unverified reports concerning the passing of our beloved.”
“At this difficult time, we wish to categorically state that the numerous claims circulating on social media and various blogs regarding the circumstances surrounding her death are false, speculative and entirely unauthorised.”
The family chose not to share the cause of the actress’s death and emphasised that the details spreading on blogs and social media were not correct.
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Osoba’s relatives asked the public not to share unconfirmed news about her death, explaining that these reports have made their grief even harder.
They urged Nigerians “to refrain from sharing or promoting misinformation that only adds to the pain our family is already enduring.”
The family said they will share more details about the actress’s death and funeral plans on her official social media page.