Ngozi Ezeonu has debunked speculations that she is dead.

On Instagram (IG), the Nollywood veteran assured she was “alive and healthy”.

Identifying the source of the morbid rumour, she said mourning a dear friend of hers was misreported as her very own demise.

She decried the unprofessional journalism displayed concerning the matter, suspecting it was for the sake of ratings and social media following. 

Ms Ezeonu, a former journalist, said: “I lost a very close friend of mine.

"I posted a candle, a half-burnt candle, and they now put my picture on that candle and everybody is saying that I died.

“It is wrong. I am alive and healthy, please.

“In journalism, what you do when in doubt is you leave out. If you cannot get across to the person to at least confirm the story, you don’t post.

“Don’t do that, please. Don’t try it again. This is a New Year, why would anybody want to hurt each other just because they want people to follow them?”

“The calls I have been receiving have been very worrisome.”