Tragedy struck in Ugwunagbo Local Government Area of Abia State on Monday when a popular entertainer, Mrs. Nwandinma Dickson, fondly called “Nwayi Garri,” slumped and died in the middle of a performance at an annual August meeting.
The 65-year-old, a native of Oza Umuebukwu in Nneji Autonomous Community, had been scheduled to take part in a dance and drama session at the event, which was being held in anticipation of the attendance of the governor’s wife, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti.
Eyewitnesses said the performer, clad in her costume, had been moving from canopy to canopy, entertaining guests with her signature comic dance steps. Suddenly, she stooped, staggered, and collapsed.
Many guests, mistaking the moment for part of her dramatic act, reportedly clapped and cheered until they realised she was unresponsive.
“She stood still at a point and people thought it was part of her moves.
But when she fell and couldn’t get up, people rushed to her and discovered she was foaming from the mouth,” an eyewitness recounted.
The Mayor of Ugwunagbo LGA rushed her to a hospital in his vehicle, but doctors confirmed she was dead on arrival.
Family sources disclosed that Mrs. Dickson had initially expressed reluctance to attend the meeting but later changed her mind to honour her performance slot.
Widely celebrated for her vibrant personality and contribution to community cultural life, “Nwayi Garri” is being mourned by many across Ugwunagbo. The cause of her sudden death remains unclear.
When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chinaka, said no official report had been made to the command, urging relatives to lodge a formal complaint at the Ugwunagbo Police Station. Efforts to obtain comments from the office of the governor’s wife were unsuccessful as of press time.