A Nigerian content creator known online as LazyWrita posted a message on Instagram on 29 December announcing his own death, prompting an outpouring of grief from followers and renewed discussion around mental health and the pressures faced by public-facing internet personalities.
The creator, Anda Damisa, who had built an audience of nearly 100,000 followers on Instagram through lifestyle posts and brand partnerships, wrote in the caption accompanying several photos of himself that he had “lived a full and adventurous life” but no longer had “the energy to continue”.
In the same caption, Damisa told followers he had removed or deactivated other accounts, and indicated the Instagram post was intended to be a final message to friends and loved ones. Nigerian outlets reporting on the post said it triggered widespread concern online and described it as a suicide note, while noting that many people first became aware of the situation when the message appeared publicly.
Damisa’s Instagram caption included personal references to close friends and to a former partner, urging her not to feel blame. In an excerpt published by TheCable, he wrote: “Don’t cry for me please o. I lived a full and adventurous life, people who know me can testify, I just don’t have the energy to continue anymore,” before adding: “Now, I am Happy, Unburdened and FREEEEEE!!!”
He also framed the post as a way to prevent speculation about his final days. In the same message quoted by TheCable, Damisa wrote: “I deleted all my socials across all platforms. I have just this one left and I felt it was imperative my friends and loved ones see this message so no false narrative is written and so they know I’m good and in a better place.”
PEOPLE, which also reported on the Instagram post, said authorities had not publicly confirmed the cause of death.
The online reaction was immediate. In the comments beneath the post, friends and followers left tributes and messages of shock. PEOPLE quoted one message which read: “RIP bro🕊️, I hope you’ve found peace.” Another tribute quoted by PEOPLE said: “You were a blessing. For what it’s worth. You were a blessing bro. Thank you 💚.”
A friend of Damisa, who uses the name “theonlydolapoo” on Instagram, reposted the final post to Instagram Stories with a plea for people to seek support. PEOPLE reported that the repost included the words: “Mental health matters. Please speak to someone. Rest in peace brother.”
In reporting on the post, Punch said the message “immediately triggered anxiety among fans, friends and followers”, with some urging intervention and others posting prayers. TheCable reported that colleagues and creatives had flooded the comments with tributes, with many saying they had not been aware of the struggles he had been facing privately.
In the weeks and months before the final post, Damisa had shared messages indicating he was struggling and stepping back from social media. PEOPLE cited an Instagram post dated 31 October in which he wrote: “October really put me through it, mentally, emotionally, and in ways I didn’t see coming,” adding: “Some days felt heavy and some lessons hit too hard, but I kept pushing through.”
In a further post dated 10 November, PEOPLE said Damisa addressed his silence and described withdrawing from online life. “It got to a time everything felt too loud and I just couldn’t keep up anymore,” he wrote, according to PEOPLE. “The things that used to bring me joy started to feel heavy, and even the simplest moments lost their spark.” He added: “So I stepped away, to breathe, to remember who I was beneath all the noise. I took a pause long enough to feel alive again.”
PEOPLE reported that Damisa was also a published poet, releasing a collection titled A Lazy Poet in 2019. Alongside the brand work and lifestyle content that formed much of his public output, he was known by followers for personal writing that mixed humour with blunt reflections on relationships, expectations and emotional fatigue, and his final Instagram caption included both affectionate messages and a sense of exhaustion.
TheCable said the post had been scheduled in advance, a detail that some commentators have pointed to as evidence of planning rather than a spur-of-the-moment act. That claim has not been independently confirmed by authorities, and reporting has generally treated the circumstances around Damisa’s death with caution while focusing on the content of the published message and the reaction it drew.
The episode has also revived wider debate in Nigeria about mental health support, stigma and the curated nature of online life. Several of the responses highlighted by outlets focused on the gap between a creator’s public persona and private wellbeing, with users urging compassion and warning against assumptions based on what people present to audiences.
For those close to Damisa, the final post appeared to be intended as an explanation as much as a goodbye. In the excerpt published by TheCable, he told friends and loved ones he did not want “false narrative” around his death, and he ended the message with: “I love you all. Kiss kiss. Rest well Anda.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be reached free on 116 123. In the US, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
