Nollywood actress and singer Angela Okorie has ignited a firestorm of criticism after sharing a video of herself setting fire to the outfit she wore to the burial of late actor Alexx Ekubo, claiming her godmother warned her that keeping such clothes brings “bad energy.”
Ekubo was laid to rest on June 18, 2026, in Arochukwu, Abia State, following his passing from metastatic kidney cancer. On June 21, Okorie posted a video to her Instagram Story showing the dress engulfed in flames. She explained she wanted to pass the spiritual warning along to friends and family.
The video quickly went viral, but not in the way she may have intended. Across X and Facebook, users slammed the act, pointing out what they saw as selective superstition. While the dress was set ablaze, her wig, jewellery, designer bag, and shoes remained intact.
“So the bad energy only entered the dress? Not the wig or the shoes?” one widely shared comment read. Others accused the actress of clout chasing, alleging she was using a solemn mourning period to generate online engagement.
Cultural commentators also weighed in, noting that under specific Igbo customs, the ritual burning of funeral clothes is typically reserved for a deceased man’s widow, not general mourners. This, they argued, made Okorie’s gesture appear both performative and culturally inconsistent.
The incident has nonetheless become a trending topic, fuelling broader conversations about grief, superstition, and public conduct in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
