Nigerian TV legend Ovularia dies at 81

Elizabeth Evoeme, popularly known as Ovularia in the 80s TV sitcom, ‘The New Masquerade’, has passed on, aged 81. Lizzy as she was fundly called by friends and family was among the original cast of the show which ran from the 70s to the mid 90s.

Lizzy who was born on December 1, 1942 died in Port Harcourt, on Sunday, surrounded by her loved ones, a family member told Vanguard.

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A statement by the Evoeme Emekalam family on her death read: “Friends, fans, colleagues, the family of the legendary actress, Elizabeth Lizzy ‘Ovularia’ Evoeme, would like to notify the public, all those who loved her and her work in ‘The new Masquerade,’ of her passing. Elizabeth ‘Ovularia’ Evoeme will be dearly missed and was extremely loved by her family and also by 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 dear Elizabeth ‘Ovularia’ Evoeme rest in perfect peace, now and always.”

Her daughter, Justina Ngozi Evoeme, who is based in London confirmed to news reports on Ovularia’s demise, which she described as painful and shocking.

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On November 5, 2019, Evoeme’s rumoured death was reportedly announced on Twitter by one Churchill Ebhodaghe without any detail regarding the cause of her rumoured expiration.

Dismissing the rumour, Ovularia, on November 8, 2019, reportedly said that those behind the rumour deserved to be punished.

The New Masquerade was a long-running Nigerian sitcom that brought laughter to audiences from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. The show actually began as a radio program called ‘The Masquerade’ on the East Central State Broadcasting Corporation.

It was then adapted for television and renamed ‘The New Masquerade’ .The show was created and written by James Iroha, who also acted in it. Popular actors like Chika Okpala (known for his role as Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwaogbe)

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The New Masquerade was a cultural touchstone, offering humor along with social commentary. It tackled real-life issues Nigerians faced at the time of it’s run, making it more than just entertainment. It ran for many years and remains one of Nigeria’s longest-running sitcoms.