Former President of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria Emeka Rollas has called on industry colleagues, friends and fans to forgo any birthday celebrations for him this year as he mourns the late Nollywood actor Alex Ekubo.
New Telegraph had earlier reported that Alex Ekubo died of liver cancer on Monday, May 11, at the age of 40.
But according to his family, he died at Evercare Hospital after a brief battle with advanced metastatic kidney cancer.
Speaking on Wednesday in a post shared on his official Instagram page, Rollas said the loss of Ekubo remains very painful for everyone in the entertainment industry.
He also called for sober reflection, prayer, and unity across the entertainment industry.
He wrote: “Today would have been a day of celebration for me, but my heart is too heavy for festivities.”
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“In honour of our beloved brother, colleague, and former Special Assistant on Youth Development during my administration at the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Alex Ekubo, I humbly appeal to friends, family, colleagues, fans, and the entire entertainment industry not to organise any birthday surprises, celebrations, or parties for me at this moment.”
It would be recalled that Rollas served as AGN President during Ekubo’s tenure as Special Assistant on Youth Development.
Instead of festivities, Rollas asked for a two-minute silence to be observed nationwide in Ekubo’s memory.
“The pain of losing Alex is still deeply felt, and I believe this is a time for sober reflection, prayers, and unity within our industry.
“Instead of celebrations, I ask for just one birthday gift today, across Nigeria, on film locations, offices, studios, cinemas, homes, and wherever members of our creative family may be, we observe two minutes of silence in honour of Alex Ekubo.”
He urged members of the creative community to pause on film sets, in offices, studios, cinemas, and homes to remember the late actor.
“Let us pause together to remember a man whose talent, warmth, laughter, and presence touched so many lives.
“May God grant his soul eternal rest and give strength to everyone mourning this painful loss. Thank you all for your love, understanding, and prayers.”
