Key Points
- A viral post claimed Obiano died on Friday. No official source confirmed the claim at the time.
- His wife released a message denying the death rumour. She said they are both hale and hearty.
- ValidUpdates contacted Obiano’s office and police for comment. An earlier ValidUpdates post flagged the viral claim.
The wife of former Anambra governor Willie Obiano denied claims that he had died in a social media post. She said they are both hale and hearty and urged people to ignore false reports.
The claim began with a viral red-image post claiming death that circulated widely on Facebook and WhatsApp. Family aides quickly rejected the report and asked people to ignore it and verify facts first.
Obiano himself posted on Facebook to deny the claim and reassure supporters. He described the rumour as falsehood and mischief by unnamed people spreading panic.
Family response and verification
His wife said in a short video that they are both fine and with family. She urged the public to ignore false posts and pray instead for calm and truth.
Earlier reports had suggested Obiano died in London after health problems, which amplified the viral claim online. Major national outlets and fact-checkers had asked readers to await confirmation before sharing the unverified report.
ValidUpdates earlier flagged the viral claim and asked readers to await confirmation, and the site sought comment from his office. ValidUpdates also published a separate political story, for example Tinubu ministers meet UK officials. That article is unrelated but shows our site checked multiple sources.
What to watch next
Police said they had no records of any obituary or death notice linked to Obiano. Fact-checkers urged caution and asked people to verify before sharing unconfirmed posts online.
Aides told reporters the family will issue further statements if necessary and thanked those who checked official channels. Observers said false posts often spread quickly and can cause unnecessary alarm for families.
Obiano now lives in the United States and his family thanked those who checked before amplifying the claim. ValidUpdates will update this story if new verified facts emerge
