Death rumours: ‘Rochas Okorocha is neither sick nor dead’

ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Owelle Rochas Okorocha, former Governor of Imo State, has debunked rumour on Tiktok that he had died in a London hospital.

Sam Onwuemodo, media adviser to Okorocha issued a statement on Thursday, saying the former was neither sick nor dead.

The full statement reads:

1. On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, a group of people, came up with what they had described as “breaking news”. And what was that ” breaking news?”. That, the former Governor of lmo State and former Senator Representing lmo West Senatorial District, His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha had fallen sick and taken to London hospital where he died. And what was the sickness? They said, it was” Acute gorilla”.
2. To all men and women of conscience and good tidings, the correct breaking news is that, Rochas Okorocha was neither sick, nor dead. Okorocha has never had even headache since he left as the Governor of lmo State in 2019. In other words, Rochas Okorocha is hale and hearty as we write.
3. Okorocha had spent almost one week in Owerri for the burial of Chief Emmanuel lwuanyanwu. On the burial day, Friday, November 1, 2024, he was at the burial Church Service and was present at the burial site.
4. After the burial, he went to his Owerri to residence to receive and host Nigerians from all walks of life who had come for the burial. He hosted them, including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.Benjamine kalu and many of his Colleagues.
5. Okorocha was in his Owerri residence receiving visitors from far and near, until Monday, November 4, when he went back to Abuja with some other guests for the the Night of Tributes at Yardua Center for another great Nigerian and illustrious son of lgboland, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu. On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, he was at the Service of Songs, equally in honour of Ogbonnaya Onu.
6. Twenty four hours after, the ugly breaking news came up. We know those behind the unfortunate breaking news. We equally know their motive. We know their problem . And they have our sympathies.
7. It’s very disturbing, that, at a time like this, what some people could come up with as their own version of breaking news was to ” allocate” “acute gorilla” they had, perhaps, invented, to someone who didn’t have fever. And equally pronounced the person dead, when the person is alive. Hale and hearty.
8. Those behind this evil breaking news need our collective prayers and heartfelt condolences. They’re dead in Spirit. They need spiritual rearmament. They need atonement. It takes the evil ones to know the latest disease or infection in the atmosphere or in town. Evil ones take stock of diseases. That’s their stock in trade.
9. Those behind this alarming breaking news were angry because of the resounding ovation that had followed the introduction of Okorocha at lwuanyanwu’s burial. You do not curse who GOD, in his infinite Mercy and wisdom, has blessed. You do not declare dead, someone GOD has kept alive.
10. The Scripture says, “tell the wicked, it shall not be well with them”. But we won’t do this. Rather, we tell those behind this unimaginable breaking news that, it shall be well with them. We do not belong to their group. We do things differently. We are not the ones to judge them. God has the final say. We leave them to their consciences if they have any.
11. To thousands of people, both within and outside, who had directly called Owelle or called those close to the former lmo governor to ascertain the authenticity or otherwise of the nauseating breaking news, we say, thank you. We thank you immensely. All things worketh together for good, to them that love God.

Finally, we continue to pray for these couriers or distributors of “acute gorilla”, until they have genuine repentance and begin to live normal life. Those who live normal life do not wish people dead. We anoint them with fresh oil for genuine repentance. May the GOOD LORD meet them at the point of their need. We sympathize with them.

Thank you.

Sam. Onwuemeodo.