The heart-wrenching demise of renowned Nollywood actress Cynthia Okereke has brought to light the family’s profound struggles, as revealed by her grieving husband, Okechukwu Okereke. In a candid interview with Vanguard, he shed light on the challenges surrounding his late wife’s funeral arrangements and their current financial predicament.
Taking it upon himself, Okechukwu Okereke is shouldering the responsibility of organizing the burial, alongside the assistance of his son. He passionately stressed the critical need for financial support to bid a fitting farewell to his beloved spouse. Expressing disappointment, he revealed that the Actor’s Guild of Nigeria (AGN) had not extended the support expected during this trying time.
Delving into the circumstances of Cynthia Okereke’s tragic passing, Okechukwu Okereke disclosed that his wife never fully recovered from the traumatic kidnapping incident she endured. The ordeal, he explained, had lasting impacts on her mental and physical well-being. The aftereffects of the traumatic event manifested in a leg problem, a consequence of being bound during captivity. The medication she took to alleviate her pain further complicated her health condition.
Late Cynthia Okereke
Okechukwu Okereke recounted, “Following the kidnapping issue, the trauma came in. She developed a leg problem because they tied her legs. When she was released from the kidnappers’ den, she had severe pain, and we rushed her to the orthopedic hospital, where it was discovered that the pain relief drugs she took had affected her tummy. At that point, we moved her to a specialist hospital in Owerri, where she was placed on life support. And on Tuesday, July 11, she gave up the ghost, after she spent about four months at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Enugu.”
The burden of the ransom for Cynthia Okereke’s release also fell on the family. Okechukwu Okereke clarified that both his family and Cynthia’s family contributed equally to securing her release, while AGN’s contribution failed to materialize as anticipated. He lamented, “I can confirm to you that no dime has been given to my family by AGN till date. My family brought 50% of the kidnap ransom, while Cynthia’s family brought the remaining 50%. Till date, we haven’t received anything from the leadership of the guild.”
Refuting the accusations, a representative from the Enugu State chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria contradicted Okechukwu Okereke’s claims. The AGN source firmly stated that the money was indeed handed over to him, dispelling any doubts. “You can believe whatever he tells you, but the truth is that the money was handed over to him, in our office. He’s a big liar if he denies that he didn’t collect the money,” the AGN source affirmed.
