Reactions have continued to trail the false report alleging the death of former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, after the claim was debunked by his daughter, Orode Uduaghan.
The controversy began after Onoriode Umukoro shared information suggesting that the former governor had passed away. However, following a clarification from the Uduaghan family that the former governor is alive and in good health, Umukoro publicly apologized for the misinformation.
In his apology, Umukoro admitted that he failed to verify the information before sharing it.
“Delta State ex-Governor, Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, is still alive. Sorry for the misinformation. It’s a wrong news. I didn’t verify my source of information, and I have blocked the source. Please forgive me for the damage caused,” he said.
Despite the apology, social media users have continued to react to the incident, with many stressing the importance of fact-checking before publishing sensitive information.
Some commenters accepted the apology, noting that mistakes can happen.
“Human beings are bound to make mistakes. The man has apologized, so let’s forget. Your apologies are accepted; no man is above mistakes,” a user wrote.
Others, however, criticized the failure to verify the report before sharing it.
“Before you post, you should wait for the family to bring out an official statement,” another commenter said.
Another user added: “You should have verified your information before posting.”
Some reactions highlighted the emotional impact such reports can have on affected families.
“You no try at all. Causing panic in the family because you want to break news?” one commenter remarked.
Another wrote: “Not everything should be posted. Imagine if it were your father, how would you feel?”
Others urged Umukoro to personally apologize to the Uduaghan family.
“You are lucky the family are very nice people. Reach out to the family personally and apologize to them,” a commenter advised.
While many accepted the apology, the incident has sparked renewed conversations about responsible journalism, social media ethics, and the dangers of spreading unverified information in the digital age.
The Uduaghan family had earlier dismissed the death rumours, with Orode Uduaghan confirming that her father is “well and very much alive.”
