Entertainment
‘It is Rather Shameful’ — Salawa Abeni Slams Death Rumours in New Video
Veteran Nigerian Waka music legend, Queen Salawa Abeni, has forcefully dismissed widespread and persistent rumours of her death, describing the fabrication as “shameful” and unnecessary. The celebrated 64-year-old songstress took to her social media platform to personally assure her fans of her health and vitality.
The musician shared a video on her official Instagram page specifically to debunk the viral reports, demonstrating her good health. While graciously appreciating the outpouring of concern and love from her fans and loved ones who reached out to verify the news, Salawa Abeni urged the general public to completely disregard the false and malicious rumours being circulated.
In a highly symbolic and traditional African declaration, the singer was captured singing in the video, delivering a strong statement against those who originated the falsehood. She emphatically declared in her song that anyone wishing her dead would die before her, reflecting a cultural tradition of warding off ill will.
The caption accompanying her video post further clarified her stance, with the songstress writing: “I’m alive, hail, and hearty. Please disregard the rumours. Some blogs will do the unthinkable just to trend. It is rather shameful. The Queen is fine and doing very well.”
Salawa Abeni’s need to publicly affirm her status follows a recent trend where several high-profile Nigerian public figures have been forced to dismiss similar false reports about their deaths, including Fuji music icon Ebenezer Obey and veteran Nollywood actor Chiwetalu Agu. This recurring issue highlights the ethical challenges faced by digital media platforms and blogs seeking viral content at the expense of reputable journalism.