Azziad Nasenya, one of Kenya’s most recognised content creators, is mourning the loss of her grandfather, Shaban Caxton Wafula, who passed away at the age of 77.
The TikTok star shared the news on Saturday, October 17, through a string of photographs posted on her social media, giving fans a rare look at her family life and home in Mumias.
How did Azziad Nasenya remember grandpa?
Among the photos was a warm recent snapshot of Azziad and her grandfather standing side by side in front of a house with a reddish-brown wall and blue trim.
Both were all smiles, giving a thumbs-up, with Azziad’s arm wrapped around him.
A vintage black-and-white photo, showing a young Azziad in a white frilly dress standing beside her grandpa, hinted at just how far back their bond stretched.
The memorial poster, featuring elegant Islamic motifs and crescent moons, bore the words:
“Forever remembered, deeply loved, and never forgotten.”
In her caption, Azziad did not hold back her grief, describing her grandfather as her oldest best friend.
“I’ve known you my whole life, Grandpa, and somehow I’m supposed to learn a life without you in it. I’m still trying to understand that. Still looking at your pictures and struggling to believe that you’re gone.
There was never going to be enough time with you. I just wish we had more. I love you. I miss you. I don’t quite know what to do with all of that yet,” she wrote.
The burial scene she shared showed a sombre outdoor procession, with men dressed in kufis carrying a coffin draped in a patterned cloth bearing Arabic-style designs, set against a rural backdrop of trees and simple buildings.
The post drew an outpouring of sympathy from followers, with many noting the Islamic elements of the burial and expressing their condolences in kind.
@iqra__albatross:
“Allah yarahma. I’m so sorry for your loss.”
@secretary_sandy:
“My condolences.”
@_._.fatma_:
“I’m happy he was a Muslim. May he rest in peace.”
@chefalimandhry:
“Inalilahi wainailaihi rajiun.”
@zizabees:
“So Azziad is a Muslim. Very sorry.”
