DECEASED: Arthur Basalirwa
“Go ahead and call me a coward and say I’m not strong, Because I’m not like you,” goes the first stanza of the song I’m sorry by Joyner Lucas. This was Arthur Basalirwa’s last message to his followers on Facebook at 1:26 pm yesterday.
Two hours later at 3:06pm, Basalirwa, a former student of Makerere University Business school posted a screenshot from a WhatsApp chat, this time dedicated to a one ‘D” and it read: “Hi D.
You will always ask yourself if you had sent me a more meaningful text. These are your last words to me. Goodbye D.”
SUICIDE NOTE: A screenshot of his last post on Facebook
From the screenshots of the WhatsApp chat he shared, Basalirwa seemed to have undergone a rough breakup with his girlfriend. His friends say that he was planning his marriage, after visiting his fiance’s parents at a traditional Kukyala ceremony.
Hours before that, Basalirwa posted to his Whatsapp a status note saying; “I am sorry but it’s too late, I’m sorry, too much weighing on me I don’t wanna live to see another day.”
However, these cries for help went unnoticed, with only a simple ‘bambi’ as a comment from one of his friends, until hours later when others learnt about his sudden death.
It is however not yet clear how Basalirwa ended his life, but friends have taken to Facebook to pay tribute to him.
Upon learning about his death, Fathil Ali Amutuhaire wrote, “R.I.P Arthur. It has taken me a while to believe he is gone. I wish I had read this sign. I ain’t relenting. This ain’t yielding. The grief, the shock… I’m not even sure if my words are making sense… I saw myself in the slithering darkness, the lull of sleep, the memes, how can you kill pain that is only felt? How can you fight something you can’t see?”
Noel Tracy said, “Just checked out his last two posts. He was probably being disturbed by something. His post about the video says a lot. I don’t even know this gentleman. But guys… Depression is real. Does anyone know what killed him?”
Unfortunately, we too do not have an answer for Tracy, just like a one Nase Avata, who is appalled by the fact that the deceased’s friends did not notice that something was not right.
“Wow, Basalirwa Abby Arthur is gone. His last two posts were signs that most friends didn’t notice. It is very disturbing and sad.”
Kiberu Malik; “Basalirwa Abby Arthur. I have seen this when am so powerless. I feel I wasn’t a true friend. I believe I would have stopped this from happening. This didn’t have to happen. Rest in peace.”
With all the tributes coming through his legacy Facebook account, a post bt a one Shamim Nagawa is a sign that Basalirwa had for long dealt with suicidal thoughts.
Nagawa reminisced a time in 2017 when she saw similar posts from the deceased and showed concern.
In her tribute, she said, “One day in 2017, I opened my Facebook account and landed to post from Basalirwa Abby Arthur. I actually took it seriously entered his inbox sent him a video which he enjoyed so much, yesterday I saw a post from some man I never took it seriously. Today as I open my Facebook account the only first to see was rest in peace for the same man. ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY TRY TO REACH OUT TO YOU. DEPRESSION IS REAL AND IT KILLS.”
We condole with Basalirwa’s family. And to all the youth out there going through a rough time, please seek help, talk to a friend. You are never alone!
READ: Student posts video of her suicide on WhatsApp after boyfriend cheats