Nollywood actress and singer Angela Okorie has found herself at the centre of a social media backlash following a controversial video she shared on Sunday showing her burning the clothes she wore to the burial of her late colleague, Alexx Ekubo.
The 40-year-old actor was laid to rest on Thursday, June 18, in Arochukwu, Abia State, after a battle with metastatic kidney cancer.
Okorie took to her Instagram Story on Sunday to film the outfit on fire, explaining that the ritual was based on advice from a spiritual authority figure.
“This is the outfit I wore to Alex’s burial,” the actress captioned the video.
“My Godmother said it’s not good to have the cloth you wore to a burial around you, you burn them. So family and friends take note, I felt I should share this information, may the lord keep and bless us with long life, amen.”
The video immediately migrated to X (formerly Twitter), where users criticised the actress for what many described as “selective superstition” and an unnecessary thirst for online engagement during a sensitive period of mourning.
Many users pointed out the logical inconsistency in the act, noting that she preserved other valuable items worn to the venue.
Ogechi, who tweets as #missy_ada2, wrote, “She kept the bag, shoes, wig and jewellery though. Selective burning.”
#dejay_kiss similarly questioned, “What about the wig, sunglasses and jewellery she wore there, her Godmother didn’t include that in the conversation?” While #Highness2510 asked, “Why didn’t you burn the phone and wig you wore to the burial?”
Other critics argued that sharing the information online lacked emotional intelligence and validated why the late Ekubo kept his personal life private.
“Now I know better why this guy keeps his health status and personal life away from social media and his colleagues,” wrote Martin-Rita, identified on X as #MLAdebayo. “So, if it’s your family member that dies, you will have to bring it to social media like this.”
#DwayneFranky added, “If she burns it without anyone finding out, then that’s understandable, but burning it and coming online to announce it shows she is doing it for clout.”
“You can burn it without coming online to tell us, so this is very sensitive. How the family and close friends of Alex see it will be totally different; it doesn’t make any sense to me,” Oti identified as #Blackjoeoti wrote.
The backlash intensified on Facebook, where users dismissed the practice as an insult to regular families and institutional workers who attend funerals frequently
Alphonsus Uwa wrote, “So all the church members who attend funerals with church uniforms (women’s groups, men’s groups, choir), etc., should be burning their uniforms after each funeral they attend? SMH.”
“So what of the morticians? We should be buying new clothes every day, na?” Oku N Enye Ife questioned. “No matter what you do in life, how careful you are, how spiritually fortified, how healthy, death is inevitable.”
Blessing Adejoh commented, “I’m still using my mom’s own and my dad’s own to church… In fact, I dey use dem as dress code for choir sef… dey play.”
“All other burials she has attended, did she come out to showcase how she burnt the clothes she wore to the burial? Cathryn Onalife Obiora asked, while Chinyere Ozuzu advised, “Make sure you burn all the other clothes used for previous burials attended and the ones you’ll use to attend future burials.”
Amid the criticism, a few users rose to Okorie’s defence, arguing that discarding funeral garments is a rooted cultural tradition in certain parts of Nigeria, even if broadcasting it was a misstep.
“In my own opinion, she is right,” Elizabeth Funmilola commented on Facebook, “the reason why cloth is advised to be burned is because the dead must be buried with a cloth on him or her, so that’s the reason more emphasis is laid on the cloth you wear to greet or bury the deceased.
“Also, the deceased is a young fellow, so it’s a painful and mournful exit. I think she’s not supposed to bring it to social media, but on the other hand, we learn every day,” she added,
As of press time, Okorie has not responded to the swelling criticism, and the video has continued to spark conversations regarding boundaries, privacy, and online decorum within the Nigerian entertainment industry.
