Late Nollywood star’s message of encouragement from his sickbed leaves fans heartbroken as debate erupts over posthumous film tribute
Even as he quietly battled the illness that would eventually claim his life, Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo was thinking about someone else.
Days after the beloved actor was laid to rest in his hometown of Arochukwu, Abia State, media personality Denrele Edun shared what he described as the final voice note he received from his longtime friend—a deeply personal message that has since moved fans and colleagues across social media.
In the audio, recorded while Ekubo was reportedly on his sickbed, the actor checked in on Denrele after seeing a post about him online, offering words of reassurance and affection despite his own deteriorating health.
“Rele, how are you? Good evening… I know you hate sympathy, so I’m just happy you’re okay now,” Ekubo said in the recording.
He continued: “You bring so much light, you’re such an energy giver, you’re an amazing individual… If there’s any way I can be there for you, don’t hesitate to let me know. I love you, my brother, and I appreciate you deeply.”
For many who have listened to the recording, its emotional weight lies not only in what was said but in the circumstances under which it was spoken. Unknown to most of the public, Ekubo was privately fighting advanced metastatic kidney cancer while still reaching out to encourage others.
Reacting to the message, Denrele described the late actor as a man whose generosity of spirit endured even in the darkest moments of his own life.
He said it was heartbreaking to revisit the recording, noting that Ekubo continued to uplift those around him while silently carrying immense personal pain.
The actor, widely admired for his charisma on screen and warm relationships off it, was buried on Thursday following a well-attended wake attended by colleagues and prominent figures from Nigeria’s film industry.
His death at the age of 40 sent shockwaves through Nollywood and sparked renewed conversations about health awareness, emotional resilience and the unseen struggles often hidden behind celebrity life.
Tribute sparks debate
As tributes continued to pour in, another development generated discussion online after actress and filmmaker Omoni Oboli premiered The First Lady, a film featuring the late actor, on her YouTube platform.
Oboli explained that the release was intended as a tribute to her longtime friend and announced that proceeds from the film would be donated to Ekubo’s family.
However, the decision drew criticism from the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Delta State Governor, Ossai Ovie, who questioned the timing of the release.
In a social media post, Ovie argued that unveiling the project so soon after the actor’s burial risked creating the impression that grief was being used to drive publicity and online engagement.
He maintained that, regardless of the charitable intention behind donating proceeds to the family, the announcement could have been delayed out of respect for the mourning period.
Oboli has defended the tribute, noting that The First Lady represented the beginning of a friendship that lasted more than a decade and describing the release as a way of honouring Ekubo’s memory while providing practical support to his loved ones.
For many fans, however, it is the final voice note to Denrele that has become the defining symbol of the actor’s legacy—a reminder of a man who continued to radiate kindness and compassion even as he faced a private battle with terminal illness.
Long after the cameras stopped rolling, the message left behind by Alexx Ekubo may prove to be one of his most enduring performances: not on a movie set, but in the quiet humanity of reaching out to comfort a friend while confronting his own mortality.
Click here to see how some friends remember him.
