AfriPulse
As Nigerians commemorate the fifth anniversary of the #EndSARS protest, Derin, the girlfriend of late product designer Oke Obi-Enadhuze, has shared an emotional reflection on how his tragic demise transformed her life.
Recall that Oke, who was stabbed to death on October 21, 2020, by hoodlums who invaded his home in Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, had just hours earlier tweeted, “Nigeria won’t end me.”
Derin.
Derin on her final chat with Oke
In a heartfelt post on Instagram, Derin recounted her final conversation with Oke, recalling how they had promised each other to “get through the day” amid the chaos and restricted movement in the city.
She revealed that she discovered his death while scrolling through Twitter, a moment she described as deeply traumatic and impossible to process.
Oke.
Derin reveals how his demise transformed her
According to Derin, losing Oke marked the start of a painful and transformative journey that forever altered her faith and outlook on life.
“Five years since the hour my life changed. Still feels like yesterday,” she wrote, capturing the lingering pain of that dark day.
“2020. restricted movement in Lagos-Nigeria, and all we had was social media to make our voices heard. we cried in person and online, #EndSARS.
That morning, I had chatted with the man I was dating, and our last message was “we’ll get through the day.” but it wasn’t going to be a we, it was going to be an I.
I did. I got through the day with tears, screams and heartbreak. how was it that I had just seen the body of whom I spoke to earlier, casually lying d3ad on twitter as I scrolled my TL? Imagine finding out that way. how do you process that? What a country.
I got through the day, and the rest of the week, and the month, and the year, and the years after. but it was the Lord who held my hand. The One who had shown me that something I didn’t understand was about to happen. The One who immediately sent me men to raise me up in prayer, in hope and in love.
That day started a journey in me. Changed my walk with Him. Pushed me into depths of Him I didn’t know existed. took me on a very hard, painful journey. Almost like there was a new level to my seeking, but also my warfare haha. that part. many things you learn on the field, as you walk.
People have met me after and the first thing they ask is to give me a warm hug. beautiful. I have appreciated it. it’s meant everything on the days it came. but, I hope they also know that this is not my identity. I’m not my grief. I’m not the pain of my past.
And in all of this, thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ. I’ve had questions. I’ve had desires. I’ve had even suggestions for the Lord… my how about’s that He would listen quietly to and offer me perspective on how His ways & thoughts are higher than mine. I’ve been very grateful to Him.
He’s taught me how to lean in. how to stay. how to find rhythms in seasons. how to hope against hope. how to trust when I don’t understand it. He gave me supernatural faith, the kind that holds you steady. He gave me joy again. Taught me to dance again. He’s shown me that things change, grief softens, light returns and somehow, life blooms again. What a good God you are, Abba.”
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