A Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Delta State Governor, Ossai Ovie, has criticised actress and filmmaker Omoni Oboli for releasing a movie featuring late Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo shortly after his burial, describing the move as an attempt to profit from public grief.
In a Facebook post, Ossai expressed disappointment over Oboli’s decision to premiere The First Lady on her YouTube channel, despite her pledge to donate all proceeds from the film to the actor’s family.
He argued that announcing the release immediately after Ekubo’s funeral created the impression that the actor’s death was being used to generate publicity and attract subscribers.
According to him, grief should not be turned into content or a promotional tool. Ossai maintained that if the intention was genuinely to honour the late actor, the announcement could have been delayed.
Oboli had explained that the movie marked the beginning of her friendship with Ekubo over a decade ago and said releasing it was her way of paying tribute to his memory while supporting the family he left behind.