Reality Star Phyna Slams Dangote Group Over Sister’s Death, Alleges Negligence and ‘Calculated’ PR Stunt

Big Brother Naija reality television personality, Phyna, has escalated a deeply personal tragedy into a public controversy, leveling serious accusations of negligence, insensitivity, and narrative control against the Dangote Group following the death and burial of her sister, Ruth Otabor.

In an emotionally charged series of posts published on her official Instagram page, Phyna went beyond describing her sister’s passing as merely tragic, claiming it was “calculated and planned” by external forces due to the subsequent actions of the conglomerate.

Unpaid Bills and Burial Day Silence

The core of the dispute revolves around the Dangote Group’s alleged failure to fully honour its public commitment to cover the medical and funeral expenses. Phyna stated that while the company settled charges at Lagoon Hospital in Lagos, the financial burden for vital additional costs fell squarely on the grieving family.

“The bills from Auchi down to Irrua were covered by the family; no refund has been made,” she lamented, detailing the out-of-pocket expenditure borne by the Otabor family. The accusations became more severe regarding the day of the burial, September 13th, when, according to the reality star, attempts to contact the company proved futile. “Also on Sept 13th, the day of burial, Dangote groups did not pick up all calls made to them from us, as we were told the bills were not paid, but they claim it was,” she wrote, painting a picture of profound isolation and abandonment during a moment of deep sorrow.

The Allegation of Impersonation and Control

Perhaps the most startling allegation concerns a letter sent by the Dangote Group to Phyna’s father after the burial. Phyna revealed that the company had drafted a letter of acknowledgment of receipt for burial expenses and sent it to her father, demanding his signature.

Phyna interpreted this action as a cynical attempt by the powerful entity to control the public narrative surrounding the tragedy. She accused the company of impersonation, arguing that the family should have been asked to provide such a letter themselves, not be presented with one drafted by the corporation.

“This letter that was sent to my dad this evening is really paining me,” Phyna wrote. “You killed my sister, did massive PR, gave the girl’s papa money for burial, then still by yourself wrote an acknowledgement letter impersonating my father and sent it to him to sign.”

The reality star publicly questioned why a company of Dangote’s magnitude would resort to such manoeuvres after the funeral, suggesting the act was a deliberate effort to manage the aftermath of the death rather than treat her bereaved family with the basic honesty and respect they deserved. The revelations have quickly generated widespread public discussion on the responsibility of large corporations in times of crisis and the ethics of public relations handling.