Phyna marks one year since Ruth Otabor’s death, recalling her grief and renewing concerns over justice after the fatal Dangote truck crash
Ijeoma Josephine Otabor, popularly known as Phyna and winner of Big Brother Naija Season 7, has marked one year since the death of her younger sister, Ruth Otabor, with an emotional tribute and renewed allegations that the circumstances surrounding the fatal truck crash have not received justice.
Phyna shared the tribute on Instagram on Monday, August 31, exactly one year after Ruth died from injuries sustained in a road accident involving a Dangote Group truck in Auchi, Edo State.
The reality television star said the passage of 365 days had done little to ease the pain of losing her sister.
“People say time heals, but sometimes I wonder if time really heals or if we just learn how to live with the pain,” Phyna wrote.
“Because even after 365 days, there are moments when it still feels like yesterday.”
Ruth, 24, was involved in the crash on August 13, 2025, near Auchi Polytechnic, just six days after graduating from the institution.
The accident left her with severe injuries, including the amputation of one leg. She later died on August 31, 2025, at about 6:30am.
Her death followed more than two weeks of medical treatment and public concern over her condition.
During that period, Phyna publicly demanded greater intervention and accused the Dangote Group of failing to respond adequately to her sister’s medical needs.
The company subsequently said it would provide comprehensive medical care and appropriate compensation and that its officials and insurance team had engaged with the family and relevant authorities.
The company later said it had arranged for Ruth to be evacuated from Edo to Lagos for advanced treatment.
Ruth nevertheless died from complications related to the injuries.
A sombre burial followed on September 13, 2025, in Ogun State. Phyna attended the funeral alongside family members, friends and fellow former BBNaija housemates, with images from the ceremony showing the reality star visibly distressed as she said goodbye to her sister.
One year later, grief remains intertwined with Phyna’s demand for accountability.
In her anniversary message, she alleged that the driver involved in the crash was underage and remains free.
“Dangote Group killed my sister and never looked back; the underage truck driver that killed her walks freely today,” she wrote, adding that she believed her sister’s case had been “swept under the carpet”.
Those claims remain allegations made by Phyna. Available reports do not establish through an independent court finding that the driver was underage or that the case was deliberately suppressed.
The circumstances surrounding the accident nevertheless generated significant public attention in August 2025, with activists, students and celebrities joining calls for accountability and safer road practices involving heavy-duty trucks.
The Dangote Group’s position at the time differed from Phyna’s account of the company’s response.
The company said senior officials and its insurance team promptly visited the scene, engaged law enforcement authorities and visited Ruth and her family at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital. It also pledged medical care and compensation.
Phyna’s latest tribute focused not only on the unresolved questions surrounding the accident but also on the personal relationship she lost.
She recalled missing Ruth’s voice, laughter and presence, and wondered what her sister would have said about the events of the past year.
“I wish you could see me now. I wish you could see everything happening in my life and how much I wish you were here to experience it with me,” she wrote.
The reality star said Ruth’s death had changed the way she viewed life and relationships.
“Your absence has taught me that life is truly fragile and that we should never take the people we love for granted,” she said.
Phyna also promised to preserve her sister’s memory through the milestones, difficult moments and ordinary experiences that will follow.
“I will carry you with me for the rest of my life, in every achievement, every tear, every smile, and every moment I wish you were here,” she wrote.
Ruth’s death had come at a particularly painful moment for the family.
She had only recently graduated from Auchi Polytechnic when the accident occurred, making the tragedy even more poignant for those close to her.
The case also sparked a wider conversation about road safety, the responsibility of haulage operators and the treatment of victims of serious road accidents.
For Phyna, however, the anniversary is ultimately personal.
Behind the public accusations and calls for justice is the absence of a younger sister whose life ended at 24.
A year after Ruth Otabor’s death, Phyna’s message suggests that grief has not followed a simple timetable.
The pain remains, the questions remain, and so does her determination to keep her sister’s memory alive.
“Sleep peacefully, my beautiful sister,” she wrote.
