Veteran Nollywood actress, Joke Silva, has opened up about her final moments with the late legendary singer Onyeka Onwenu, who passed away in July 2024. Onwenu tragically collapsed during the 80th birthday celebration of Stella Okolie, CEO of Emzor Pharmaceuticals, and was laid to rest on August 30 at Ebony Vaults, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
In an emotional interview, Silva recounted the events leading up to Onwenu’s collapse and her efforts to save her.
Silva revealed that she and Onwenu were seated together at the event and even shared a special moment during Onwenu’s performance. “We were at the party together at the same table. At some point when she was going around the room during her performance, she came to me and pulled me up, and we had a bit of a twirl.”
The iconic singer was performing her hit song “One Love” when the incident occurred. “She was singing ‘One Love’ and close to the (end of the) song we both went back to our seats. And it was when I looked across that I heard Shola Momoh saying ‘She’s not well, she slumped on her chair’. But then she was just unconscious. She had a pulse.”
Silva shared that CPR was immediately administered, and doctors present at the event tried to revive Onwenu. Despite their efforts, the singer remained unresponsive. “CPR was performed while she was laid down on the floor. We tried to revive her. We asked for doctors in the house to come and look at her and they did.”
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Onwenu was later taken to the hospital, where Silva continued to stay by her side. “Later on, I went to the hospital. And she was there for about one and a half hours before she finally passed.”
The heartbreaking account of Onwenu’s final moments adds depth to the legacy she leaves behind as a beloved figure in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
