Tope Osoba passed away two years after she pleaded with the general public for financial assistance for her breast cancer surgery and treatment.
By Kehinde Okeowo
The family of the late Nollywood actress, Tope Osoba, has dismissed trending reports that she died after a prolonged battle with “breast cancer”.
The thespian, who featured predominantly in Yoruba movies, passed away on Tuesday evening—a few minutes after speaking with some of her colleagues on the phone and posting on social media.
Her demise occurred nearly two years after she pleaded with the general public for financial assistance for her breast cancer surgery and treatment.
Since the news of her death broke on Wednesday, various theories have circulated on social media and blogs, with some reports attributing her passing to breast cancer, for which she underwent surgery in November 2024.
Others, including colleagues in the entertainment industry, suggested she had been struggling with emotional or psychological challenges.
Her colleague, Damilola Winger, claimed Osoba became emotionally affected after a relationship ended, suggesting it played a role in her death.
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She further alleged that the emotional pain and subsequent trauma were what eventually led to her death.
Nollywood Director Elijah Rotimi also suggested that the late actress had been struggling with depression before her death.
“Depression is real, I swear. Make we dey try check on each other. I know we can’t blame anyone, everybody has problems. Sleep well, so sad,” he wrote.
However, in a statement released via Instagram on Thursday, the family described the rumours about her death as “false, speculative, and entirely unauthorised”.
Although the official statement failed to disclose the main cause of Osoba’s sudden death, the family said: “We are deeply saddened by the spread of false and unverified reports concerning the passing of our beloved.
“At this difficult time, we wish to categorically state that the numerous claims circulating on social media and various blogs regarding the circumstances surrounding her death are false, speculative, and entirely unauthorised.”
While urging the public “to refrain from sharing or promoting misinformation that only adds to the pain our family is already enduring”, the family noted that further information will be made public on her official page.
