Nollywood actress Omoni Oboli is facing online criticism after releasing a film featuring late actor Alexx Ekubo just hours after his burial, with some accusing her of capitalising on his death for promotion. 

Ekubo, popularly known for his role as "Chief Ikuku," died on May 11, 2026, at age 40, following a battle with metastatic kidney cancer. He was laid to rest on June 18 in his hometown of Ujari, Arochukwu, Abia State, in a ceremony attended by Nollywood stars and political figures, including Obi Cubana, Ini Edo, IK Ogbonna, and Cubana Chief Priest. 

Shortly after the burial, Oboli took to Instagram to announce that "The First Lady," a film she and Ekubo made together, was now streaming on her YouTube channel, Omoni Oboli TV. She described the project as the one that started their friendship 11 to 12 years earlier and pledged that all proceeds would go to Ekubo's family. 

The announcement drew immediate backlash from Ossai Ovie, Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Delta State Governor, who accused Oboli of using the actor's death to drive traffic to her channel. In a Facebook post, Ossai argued that the donation pledge did not change what he called the real motive behind the release. 

He wrote that grief should not be treated as content and that a funeral is not a launch event, insisting Ekubo deserved to be remembered for his work and impact rather than repackaged into a movie trailer. Ossai added that if the goal was genuinely to honour Ekubo, the announcement could have waited.