Tears and tributes as murdered fashion designer Deborah Okwori laid to rest in Benue

The late Nigerian fashion designer, Deborah Eneyi Ohekuru Okwori, popularly known as Deb’rah Porsche, has been buried in her hometown of Ugaga Ohuhu Owo, Oju Local Government Area, Benue State.

Deborah was allegedly murdered by her ex-lover, Lintex Ogale, in Lagos on September 3, 2025. According to police reports, Ogale stabbed her multiple times before fleeing the scene. She was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where doctors confirmed her death.

The suspect was later arrested and has since been remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Centre as investigations continue.

At her burial, the grief-stricken atmosphere deepened when Deborah’s mother gave a heart-wrenching tribute. As mourners wept, she danced around her daughter’s casket, declaring:

“Since you did not wait to dance at my burial, I’ll dance for you instead.”

Family, friends, and community members gathered in large numbers to celebrate Deborah’s life and achievements, remembering her as a creative force in Nigeria’s fashion industry whose life was cut short in a brutal act of violence.

Her tragic death has sparked conversations on gender-based violence and intimate partner abuse, with many calling for justice and stronger protective laws for women across Nigeria.