By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Old-time Nollywood actors, Jide Kosoko, Adebayo Salami and many others in the industry have paid glowing tributes to Elizabeth Evoeme, popularly known as Ovularia in the 1980s TV sitcom, ‘The New Masquerade’, passed away at the age of 81.
Kosoko said the late Ovularia was a disciplined woman who had contributed immensely to the growth of the entertainment industry.
Lizzy, as she was affectionately known by friends and family, was part of the original cast of the show that ran from the 1970s to the mid-1990s.
Lizzy, born on December 1, 1942, died on Sunday in Port Harcourt surrounded by her loved ones, a family member told Vanguard.
Mourning her passage, Kosoko said: “We have lost another gem though at a ripe age, I pray the almighty God grant her soul a peaceful rest.
“We worked together on The New Masquerade, I was a guest artiste at that time, she was just fantastic. May her soul rest in peace and may God continue to keep us that are still alive.
“Her virtue of discipline that has to do with keeping to call time, submitting to the directors’ wish at all time and other professional ethics she stood for, should be emulated by all other actors.”
Also, Adebayo Salami, popularly known as “Oga Bello”, described death of the actress as shocking.
He said, “We are all getting older but no one wants to die, we are going to miss her but her legacies still remain with us. We love her but God loves her most.”
Fred Amata, also expressed shock over the death of the actress.
Her death was announced by family on Tuesday.
A statement from the Evoeme Emekalam family on her passing read: “Friends, fans, colleagues, the family of the legendary actress, Elizabeth Lizzy ‘Ovularia’ Evoeme would like to inform the public, everyone who loved her and work in ‘The New Masquerade,’ of her death. Elizabeth ‘Ovularia’ Evoeme will be deeply missed and loved by her family as well as you, her fans
“We thank you all for your support and for respecting our privacy at this time. God bless you all and may our precious Elizabeth “Ovularia” Evoeme rest in perfect peace now and always.”
Her daughter, Justina Ngozi Evoeme, who lives in London, confirmed news reports of Ovularia’s death, which she described as painful and shocking.
On November 5, 2019, Evoeme’s rumored death was reportedly announced on Twitter by one Churchill Ebhodaghe without any detail as to what caused her rumored expiration.
Ovularia denied the rumor and reportedly said on November 8, 2019 that those behind the rumor deserved to be punished.
The New Masquerade was a long-running Nigerian sitcom that kept audiences laughing from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. The show actually started as a radio program called ‘The Masquerade’ on the East Central State Broadcasting Corporation.
It was subsequently adapted for television and renamed ‘The New Masquerade’. The show was created and written by James Iroha, who also starred in it as Gringory Akabogu.
Popular actors such as Chika Okpala (known for his role as Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwaogbe), Claude Eke — Jegede Sokoya and thrilled in the sitcom in those days.
The New Masquerade was a cultural touchstone, offering humor and social commentary. It addressed real life issues faced by Nigerians at the time of its performance, making it more than just entertainment. It ran for many years and remains one of Nigeria’s longest running sitcoms.