Etinosa Idemudia has stirred debate in Nollywood after openly criticizing the trend of celebrities posting unreplied direct messages (DMs) when someone dies.
Speaking on the BTC Podcast, the actress described the practice as hypocritical and attention-seeking. She warned colleagues against sharing her private messages after her death, saying: “All those people that post people’s DM when they are dead, if you post my DM, I’ll wake up, slap you and go back to the grave. Don’t try it.”
Etinosa also condemned producers and colleagues who ignore actors during their lifetime but later post emotional tributes claiming they had plans to collaborate. “DM that you didn’t reply, my enemy will die now. If you try it and post that ‘Oh, we should have worked together, I was looking forward to working with you,’ what I will do to you in your dream, you wouldn’t believe it,” she added.
Her comments come amid reactions to the death of actor Alexx Ekubo, with several celebrities sharing screenshots of their last conversations with him on social media. Etinosa herself is a Nollywood actress and filmmaker born on March 9, 1991, in Warri, Delta State, though originally from Edo State. She studied Computer Engineering at Covenant University before training in Performing Arts at Royal Arts Academy in Lagos. Initially working as a planning engineer in the oil and gas sector, she switched to entertainment in 2016 after gaining attention with viral comedy skits on Instagram. Since then, she has starred in films such as Chairman, Blood of Enogie, Devil in Agbada, and The Washerman, which she produced. A mother of one, she is known for her outspoken advocacy for women’s empowerment and Edo culture, and has won awards including Best Online Comic Act at the Scream Awards (2016) and Best Actress in a TV Series (Africa) at the Hollywood and African Prestigious Awards (2021).
Alexx Ekubo, whose death prompted the tributes Etinosa criticized, was born on April 10, 1986, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and hailed from Arochukwu, Abia State. He rose to fame after placing first runner-up in the 2010 Mr Nigeria contest and became one of Nollywood’s most recognizable faces, starring in films like Weekend Getaway, Lagos Cougars, Diary of a Lagos Girl, Omo Ghetto: The Saga, and The Bling Lagosians. He passed away on May 11, 2026, at Evercare Hospital in Lagos after complications from advanced metastatic kidney cancer, which his family described as a “brief but courageous battle.” His death at age 40 has deeply shaken the Nigerian film industry, with tributes pouring in from colleagues including Funke Akindele, Bolanle Ninalowo, Richard Mofe-Damijo, and Bimbo Ademoye, who remembered his charisma, humanitarian work, and impact on Nollywood.
Etinosa’s remarks highlight a growing debate in Nollywood about authenticity in tributes and the culture of public grief, while Alexx Ekubo’s passing underscores the fragility of life and the importance of genuine support for colleagues while they are alive.
