A popular entertainer, Mrs Nwandinma Dickson, widely known as “Nwayi Garri,” on Monday, slumped and died during a performance in an August meeting in Ugwunagbo LGA.
The 65-year-old woman, a native of Oza Umuebukwu in Nneji Autonomous Community, Ugwunagbo LGA, was scheduled to participate in a dance performance and drama at the high-profile event, where the wife of the state governor, Priscilla Chidinma Otti, was supposed to be in attendance.
The annual August meeting was allegedly organised by the Abia State Governor’s wife in Ugwunagbo Local Government Area when it turned tragic.
Dressed in her performance costume, she moved around different canopies, exchanging greetings and entertaining guests with her usual theatrical steps while waiting for the arrival of the guest of honoUr. Mrs. Otti.
Eyewitnesses recounted that in the middle of her display, she stooped briefly and then slumped, and many in the audience initially mistook the incident for part of her act and continued clapping and cheering, only to realiSe a few minutes later that she was unresponsive.
“At a time. she stood still and people were clapping thinking it was part of her dance moves. She fell down, and people clapped, but when she could not continue with her entertaining moves, people approached her and only to find out that she was foaming from the mouth”, a source said.
The Mayor of Ugwunagbo LGA quickly intervened and used his vehicle to rush her to the hospital, only to be pronounced dead on arrival by medical personnel.
Family members who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the late Mrs. Dickson had initially expressed reluctance to attend the meeting but eventually decided to honour her scheduled performance.
“Nwayi Garri” is being remembered by many for her lively spirit and contributions to local cultural life, while the community is allegedly waiting for further information on what might have caused her death.
Relevant authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.
However, when contacted on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO DSP Maureen Chinaka, said, “No official report has been made to the police” and advised the people “to go and report at the Ugwunagbor police station.”
All efforts to get the reaction of the office of the wife of the governor proved abortive.
