‘Nigeria will not end me’ – these were the last words of Nigerian designer, Okechukwu Obi-Enadhuze, on Twitter, a mere three hours before he was killed by thugs during a wild altercation with them on Wednesday, 21 October 2020, in Oshodi Lagos.

His last tweet rang of the yearnings of many other Nigerian youths who have endured the horrifying treatment in this period where a peaceful movement as the #EndSARS protest is being met with oppositions from both the police and hijackers of the protest.

Oke was reported to have been in his house with his younger brother and mother when thugs attacked the barracks where the family resides. The thugs were on a mission to burn down the police station and wreak havoc in the area. Narrating the ordeal, younger brother to Oke, Daniel Obi-Enadhuze, stated that his brother had died protecting the family and he himself narrowly escaped being killed by the thugs.

… they then proceeded to ransack the house and carted away with everything we own, my brother on trying to get them to take everything but spare us was pushed to my mom's room and stabbed on the neck, the attacker then proceeded to attack me but missed my neck…

— Midorima Shintaro? (@DanielOE16) October 21, 2020

Oke’s death drew fierce reactions on Twitter with many recanting how talented the young man was, telling stories of his dreams and aspirations. From his family to his colleagues, the story is the same and the pain, unquantifiable.

Here are a few reactions:

Oke would challenge me on everything, even when it got me upset, he didn’t care because he was trying to make me better. I’m sorry our work relationship didn’t end well.

You were a good man! RIP OKE.
I wish I called you to make things right, I wish!

RIP King pic.twitter.com/P4LLqGZ2Ib

— Johnson Okonkwo (@JohnsonOkonkwo2) October 21, 2020

RIP king https://t.co/itICKktA8l

— Bizzle Osikoya (@bizzleosikoya) October 21, 2020

May the blood of our fallen heroes not be in vain
…RIP KING?#LagosStateMassacre pic.twitter.com/g06uT8hHNB

— Ayanfeoyedokun (@ayanfeoyedokun) October 21, 2020

Oke never wanted to be a hero, he didn’t want to die, he wanted to live. This one hit me hard, RIP KING! ?

— Omoniyi Israel (@Omoissydeyhere) October 21, 2020

I just went through that oke guy's media. he really was talented at his web designing stuff. Talk about the government wasting the lives of future. I'm shattered. He said the country wouldn't end him, it did just that. RIP king??

— tomiwa, the eccedentesiast. (@ElJaydon) October 21, 2020

Nigeria did not end you because we do not die, we multiply!

RIP King ? https://t.co/0r1bzNsfEh

— OG Adoga (@OG_Adoga) October 21, 2020

Oke was just like us. He had dreams. He had aspirations and Nigeria, as it does, snatched it away. The average Nigerian youth is afraid of having the nation shattering their dreams before they ever get the chance to actualise them. From the present economic hardship to a government that insists on creating a stifling environment, ‘Nigeria will not end me’ has solemnly become a prayer that many Nigerian youths resonate with.

Being born a Nigerian alone has the odds already stacked against you.  Lately, we’ve seen youths have their lives abruptly cut short by the police and hoodlums attacking peaceful protest. And Oke’s story has become one of the statistics. While our heart is heavy with this news, his death will always be a reminder of the disadvantage that many youths face just for being Nigerian and living in Nigeria. We pray that his soul rests in absolute peace and that for many others with the same prayer ‘Nigeria will not end me’ we hope that in fact, Nigeria doesn’t end up killing us all.