“Wife” of Zebrudaya Okorionwobodo in the 80s TV sitcom, known as ‘The New Masquerade’, Madam Elizabeth Evoeme, popularly known as Ovuleria, is dead, aged 82.
A statement by the Evoeme Emekalam family today, May 7, read: “Friends, fans, colleagues, the family of the legendary actress, Elizabeth Lizzy ‘Ovuleria’ 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 ‘Ovuleria’ Evoeme rest in perfect peace, now and always.”
Her daughter, Justina Ngozi Evoeme, who is based in London confirmed Ovuleria’s demise, which she described as painful and shocking.
“I need to get my head around what has happened.”
“Ovuleria” Evoeme was born in 1942 in Calabar, Cross River State to a sea worker father.
She was prominent in the Nigerian TV space as an actress from 1982 to 1993 prior to the advent of Nollywood.
She was originally named Elizabeth which was later shortened to “Lizzy.”
She was known for her role as Ovuleria, the wife of no-nonsense TV character called Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo on the TV show, New Masquerade.
The programme which used to feature on Nigeria’s national TV station, NTA, has over the years, been stopped. She played the role of a petty trader and an assertive but obedient woman who never disagreed or argued with her husband’s decision no matter how many others disagreed with him.
She once explained that she never knew the meaning of her stage name “Ovuleria.”
Since her exit from TV glare, not much had been heard about Evoeme. At one time, death rumours on her were refuted.
In 2020, she was recorgnised for her contributions to the entertainment industry.
