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Sad! Fallen social media personality Devance Ogweno’s last social media post

By Winnie Mabel September 19th, 2022 7 min read

Fallen social media personality Devance Ogweno alias Devance Empire appeared to have spent his final days on earth isolated and lonely.

He passed on a few days ago after complaining of chest pains.

He’d reportedly lacked the resources to seek treatment.

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One of his last messages was an update on Facebook on July 21, 2022, captioned; ‘What is the one thing someone ever did to you that you have never let go?’.

The messages appeared to indicate some of his close relatives had let him down at the time of need.

He also opens up on the struggles of seeking education without the basics and fee arrears and how a relative in Nairobi woke him up at 3am to fetch water as his children slept.

In his own words, Nairobi News brings you the narration of how the events unfolded:

One post read: “I will go first. In this world, if you do not have your parents, then you can really go through situations that you never planned for. I am not saying that those with parents do not go through difficulties but it appears double to an orphan.

A few years back, when I was in campus, my hostel got robbed and the thieves took everything they could get hold of. At that time, I had not paid rent for the hostel for two months and I had school fees arrears too. I cried in pain because I lost everything of mine. The following day, my door was locked. The caretaker kicked me out. I tried making a few phone calls to my relatives and friends but all was in vain. Everyone gave an excuse after an excuse. So, I decided to borrow some money from a close friend, so I could go and book a bus to Nairobi City. Most of my relatives stay in the City.

The following day, very early in the morning, I was in Nairobi. I went to one of my uncles to explain my situation. He kept me waiting for such a long time and when he came, I explained myself to him. He was hard on me as if he was not happy to see me around. So, he said he could not help me and asked me to go to another uncle because he does not have space for me to spend at his home. I left with the little change I had to my other uncle’s place.

It took me about 2 hours to get there because of traffic. This uncle of mine stays in a very luxurious estate. When I got to his gate, it was about 5:30pm. I rung the bell so someone would come open for me. I saw my uncle peep from the window of his bedroom and I waved at him so he could see me. 10 minutes later, no one was coming to open the gate. I rung the bell again and this time, their was no response at all. I was beginning to get worried.

I had used all my money and my phone, did not even have credit or flashback. It was about to go off. I sat at the pavement with my bag besides me. I really looked like a fool. Children passed by playing and laughing and when they saw me, they asked me if I was fine. Of course, I said I was fine. I saw people get into their houses in very expensive big cars. I admired that kind of life, having a big house of my own, my own car and security.

Two hours later, no one came to open for me. I saw through the house windows and could see light in the house. I was convinced someone was in the house but, they did not want to open the gate for me. I stood to ring the bell again when I had someone call me by my name. It was my cousin, son to my uncle. He asked me what I was doing there. I told him I have been down here for over 2 hours and no one has come to open the gate for me. He felt sorry for me as he rung the gate bell continuously. In less than 30 seconds, someone was at the door to open for him. it was his mother. She acted happy to see me and asked, “sorry I was studying and when I am studying, I do not like any form of destruction….”

We walked in and the gate was closed. In the house, I found my uncle in the living area watching Bible Teachings from some church live broadcast. I shook his hand and he asked me to sit. Then he asked me to take my bag upstairs that it is not good to have a bag in the living room, where different people sit. I saw from his face, he did not welcome me. He was unhappy with my presence. I just went upstairs and at the door, my cousin asked me to give him time to finish up an online meeting that was being done through Skype. I went back downstairs with my bag. My uncle started shouting at me, “why don’t you put that bag away? Do you think someone will steal anything from you? Grow up!” I tried explaining myself that the room was busy but he did not want to listen.

I went back upstairs and stood by the door for a while waiting for my cousin to finish up his meeting then I can walk in and drop my bag. My uncles wife was in her bedroom studying, as she said. She wanted to use the bathroom, so she came out from her room and found me leaning on the stairs. She asked me what I was doing and I told her. She went straight into her sons room and told him that it was wrong to deny me from keeping my bag in his room. The boy said, he needed privacy because of work.
We had super, prayed and everyone went to sleep. It was night.

At 2am, I was woken up by my uncle. He said, water had come and it may not last longer. So, I go fill up the water containers that are in the backyard and front-yard too. I woke up, left my cousin sleeping as I went to fetch water. At the tap, honestly, there was no water. It had not come. It came in drops, one after another. I went back to the house to tell my uncle but his response was not good. He said he did not care, all he wants was for the water containers to have water. Water was such a major issue in this estate. It was a period when water rationing was too rampant in Nairobi.

I went back to the cold weather, opened the tap for the drops of water to fall in the bucket. I sat on a jerrican close to the tap. I even fell asleep in that cold and woke up about 30 minutes later and the bucket was still not yet full. I felt sad and went to wake my cousin at around 3:30am. I told him there was no water but his father is insisting I sit out in the cold and fetch water. He felt sorry for me and went to his dad and talked to him. That is when I was allowed back in the house to continue with my sleep. I felt relieved.

At around 4:30am, I was woken up by voices of my uncle and aunt praying. They prayed for about an hour. All this time, tears kept flowing down my cheeks because, i did not want my cousin to know I was hurt. At around 5am, my uncle came and asked me to iron his shirts that were in our room. I asked him to choose one but he said I iron all of them then he will come and choose which one to wear as he leaves the bathroom. I ironed all the clothes and arranged them well. Then he came and asked me if I had finished, I said yes. He asked me to go polish all his shoes that were at the shoe rack downstairs. I found about 4 pairs of his shoes, polished the black ones first then the brown ones last.

It was now 6am, he came downstairs dressed in totally different attires from the ones I ironed. I felt so hurt again but I could not question him. He came to take breakfast, that was prepared by the house help and set on the table. He asked me to get a towel and go wipe the dust from both the cars outside in the front yard. I did that and came back to the house. He then gave me sh.300 as he was leaving and asked me to go back to my other uncle who sent me to his place. It was clear he did not want me in his house. He left and a few minutes later, the wife left too. I quickly went and took breakfast. I nearly ate everything because I was hungry and also, i did not know when my next meal was going to come.

After eating, I charged my phone and tried reaching out to a few friends to host me. One of them asked me to go meet him in town so we could go to his place together. I carried my bag and went to town. While in town, I called my friend, he did not respond. He did not show up. I waited for him to call me, but all in vain. It was begining to get dark, still no response and again, i can’t go to any of my uncles houses. I was scared of how they treated me.

So, I went to Tom Mboya streets, right in front of Kassangas Music Shop, and found other street children lying down there. I joined them and made friends with them. They welcomed me and gave me space to sleep. I used my clothes to cover myself from the cold night. On the opposite side, there was a club. People walked in and out and some of them gave us money. I slept there until morning came, when we were woken up by the shop owner.

I spent two nights there before that friend of mine called me to come pick me and take me to his sister. She needed a house boy and that is how I got a job as a house boy.
The story is too long and I would wish to say more and more but, not now. Treat everyone right, whether they are related to you or not. If you were me, what would have you done? I forgave them and asked God to bless me with my own wealth, that I may not be a beggar or a burden to someone else. Be blessed.” Devance posted.