Sonia Ighalo, the ex-wife of Nigerian footballer Jude Ighalo, has spoken out against the reactions of some Nigerians who openly celebrated the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a post shared via her Instagram page, Sonia expressed disappointment, urging people to exercise empathy regardless of political or personal differences.

She acknowledged that many Nigerians had valid criticisms of Buhari’s leadership but emphasized that death is a solemn and universal experience that should be met with compassion, not celebration.

She wrote: “Nigerians seem to lack empathy, this is someone’s father, husband, uncle and son.

Must you all display your caprine tendencies even when calamity befalls?

“While criticisms of his leadership are valid, celebrating his death misses our shared humanity.

Death is the final chapter we ALL must face, and in that reality, empathy should always prevail.”

Sonia’s message has sparked mixed reactions online, with some agreeing that empathy should prevail, while others maintained that public figures must face the weight of their legacies even in death.

In other news, Nigerian disc jockey and activist, Obianuju Catherine Udeh, popularly known as DJ Switch, has responded forcefully to comments made by APC chieftain, Joe Igbokwe, following her reaction to the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Recall that Buhari passed away in London on Sunday, July 13, 2025, after a prolonged illness.

In reaction to the news, DJ Switch took to Instagram with a bold post that read:
“Wow! The sweet reality of inevitability. RIP MF. One down.”

Her statement sparked outrage among some political figures, including Joe Igbokwe, who lashed out at her via Facebook. In his post, he criticized DJ Switch’s past comments, accusing her of damaging Nigeria with her activism.

He wrote, “So the ugly and nauseating lady is still talking. She has not realized the damage she did to Nigeria with her utterance. This lady needs help. She must have gone kolos.”Nigerian travel packages

In a sharp response, DJ Switch accused Igbokwe of being disconnected from the suffering of everyday Nigerians. She condemned his unwavering support for a government she claims oppressed its youth and stifled voices of dissent.

She further called him a coward for attacking survivors like herself while remaining silent in the face of state-led injustices.

Dj switch wrote, “The only thing more embarrassing than your spelling is thinking silence in the face of murder, hardship and injustice is dignity. We faced bullets for justice. What did you ever face besides spell check and senility?

“You watched a government murder its youth and your only outrage is that I lived to tell the story? You think my utterance damaged Nigeria? No grandpa! your silence did your cowardice did!.

“You are defending killers but attacking survivors, don’t worry history is writing your name in the footnotes under failure Imagine being so useless to justice that the voice of a woman surviving Nigeria threatens your whole existence”.

DJ Switch rose to prominence following her involvement in the #EndSARS protests, particularly after live-streaming the infamous Lekki Toll Gate shooting in 2020. Her activism has since made her a polarizing figure in Nigeria’s political discourse.