Nollywood actress Zainab Bakare has responded strongly to the criticism she faced online after an emotional display at the service of songs held in honour of her late colleague, Allwell Ademola.

The memorial ceremony, which took place on Thursday, drew widespread attention after videos from the event surfaced on social media. While many viewers expressed sympathy for Bakare and other mourners, some accused the actress of being overly dramatic and seeking attention during the solemn occasion.

Reacting to the backlash, Zainab took to her Instagram page to condemn what she described as insensitive and heartless comments, especially at a time when the Nollywood industry is grieving a painful loss.

In a strongly worded post, she dismissed claims that her emotions were staged, warning critics to desist from exploiting the tragedy for negativity.

“Y’all coming for me and tagging me with your full chest that I was acting for the camera… I will hold till we bury her before I give you a taste of your medicine,” she wrote.

The actress further accused online trolls of lacking empathy and using the death of a loved one as an excuse to spread hatred instead of offering compassion.

“Koni da fun yin!!! Y’all are using the death of a loved one to dish out your oriburuku. We shall see!!!” she added.

Allwell Ademola was laid to rest on Friday, January 9, at the Atan Cemetery in Yaba, Lagos, in a burial attended by family members, close friends, and colleagues from the Nollywood community. Zainab Bakare remained silent toward her critics during the burial as she joined others in paying their final respects to the late actress.