In a recent Instagram post, she condemned the persistent rumors that have caused unnecessary distress among fans and online users. Rita expressed her disbelief at how swiftly people accepted the misinformation, with many inundating comment sections with messages of condolence.
She criticized the alarming trend of disseminating unverified death rumors about Nigerian celebrities, describing it as a damaging and attention-seeking strategy employed by certain bloggers and content creators. “This is not the first, second, or even third time such false news has been spread about our beloved celebrities,” she remarked. “These bloggers and content creators are exploiting rumors of untimely deaths to drive traffic and engagement, and this madness must come to an end.”
Rita also shared her own experiences with similar falsehoods, recalling moments when images from her film scenes were manipulated to create death rumors about her and her husband, the esteemed actor Pete Edochie. She mentioned a specific incident during the filming of ‘Calabash,’ where her character's on-screen demise was misinterpreted as reality.
“My wonderful husband and I have been targets of these distressing rumors. I remember when bloggers falsely claimed my entire family had perished in an accident or when they incorrectly reported Sir Pete’s death during his visit to the U.S. This is sheer madness and must cease,” she asserted.
The actress urged society to hold bloggers accountable for their actions and called for stricter measures against those who propagate false information. While recognizing the positive impact of social media in empowering Nigerian youth, she criticized its misuse, stating it has often done “more harm than good.”
Rita appealed to content creators to prioritize ethical standards over sensationalism, posing the question, “If we all die today as celebrities, who will you have left to watch?”