Popular Abia entertainer collapses, dies during dance performance
Just like the daydream, a moment of long drawn joy among the women and entire people of Ugwunagbo local government area of Abia State, a popular entertainer, Mrs Nwandinma Dickson, fondly called “Nwanyi Garri”, suddenly slumped and passed during a musical performance.
The shocking death of 65-year-old Dickson occurred on the day of the celebration of the annual August meeting in Ugwunagbo local government area of Abia State on Monday, August 18, 2025.
She was a native of Oza Umuebukwu in Nneji autonomous community, Ugwunagbo LGA, and was scheduled to participate in a dance and drama at the epoch-making event, which was slated to have in attendance, the wife of the state governor, Priscilla Chidinma Otti.
According to an eyewitness account, the popular comic dancer moved around different canopies, exchanging pleasantries and entertaining guests with her usual theatrics, dressed in her performance costume.
Regrettably, amidst her usual captivating display, she paused and to the amazement of her audience, slumped, thus leaving the latter mistaking the fall for being perhaps an intriguing part of her dance, hence they continued to cheer. The momentary deafening silence was incidentally broken as her fascinated audience suddenly realised that she had suddenly become motionless.
A prompt response came from the Mayor of Ugwunagbo LGA who provided a vehicle to rush her to the hospital, but unfortunately, medical personnel pronounced her dead on arrival.
“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.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that the Mayor of Ugwunagbo LGA, upon receiving the sad news, in an unhesitating manner rushed the dancer to the hospital.
However, she was pronounced dead on arrival by medical personnel.
Anonymous family members said that 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.”
This is even as all efforts to get the reaction of the office of the wife of the governor were futile.
