WILLIS RABURU OPENS UP ABOUT ONLINE BULLYING AFTER LOSING HIS DAUGHTER

Media personality Willis Raburu has shared a personal account of the cruelty he faced from Netizens following the loss of his infant daughter. 

In a recent interview, Raburu detailed how the grief he and his family endured was compounded by hurtful and judgmental social media comments. Raburu recounted the shock of encountering trolls instead of condolences online. “You would think that you’d be greeted with condolences. One would think, yeah, that is a natural human thing to do. Unfortunately, the social media and hiding behind a screen gives people audacity and power to be mean,” he stated.

The TV presenter described how netizens weaponised his tragedy, with some claiming the loss was a form of “punishment” for his work. Further criticism was directed at his decision to return to work, with accusations that he was “dishonoring the memory” of his daughter by hosting an entertainment show.

What the public did not see, Raburu revealed, was struggling behind the scenes. “Before I get on stage… I would get there, cry in my car. Do the show, finish, go cry in my car,” he shared. He confessed that the pain, both from his loss and the online abuse, led him to contemplate suicide. “The best way to be with my daughter on the other side is to join her. So I was battling with all these thoughts.”

By sharing his experience, Raburu aims to cast a spotlight on the impact of online bullying. “I think we should mindful of each other, what you’re saying, how you’re saying it, who you’re saying it to,” he urged. “You might not know exactly where people are at.”