|
|
 |
| |
Nassirudeen Osawe |
A REFUGE FOR GRIEVING PALS AFTER KILLING
Youth centre offers counselling to distraught friends of student
A YOUTH centre was forced to open its doors to cope with the wave of grief in the aftermath of the tragic death of teenager Nassirudeen Osawe.
Shocked friends of 16-year-old Nassirudeen, stabbed to death in broad daylight in Upper Street last Thursday, were given emergency grief counselling at nearby St Mary’s Church as the impact on the community was expressed in messages left at the scene.
Parents of the distraught teenagers asked youth worker Nick Adams to open the centre on Friday to provide a sanctuary where grieving friends were summoned by text.
Mr Adams said: “We wanted to provide a place where they could talk and support each other. I brought youth workers from other boroughs where similar tragedies have happened. People were in shock, disbelief and pain.
“We all went up to where Nass died with a big bouquet and someone read Psalm 23. It was an impressive sight to see at least 30 young people walking up Upper Street. I let them back in to play football and basketball just to let off steam.”
He added: “In the discussions it became clear that there was shock and grief. There wasn’t any desire for vengeance. The young people have acted maturely. It’s been a huge blow for them. Islington has a lot of tremendous young people and sadly one of them has died.”
Nassirudeen’s family last week paid tribute to the “exceptional” art student whose ambition was to work in the computer games industry.
A family member said: “He was the youngest of five children, a kind, loving and principled son and sensitive brother, with a great sense of humour... Nass was a young man just beginning to make his way in the world and had never been in any kind of trouble. He was taken away from his family and friends by a needless and senseless act of violence.”
On Wednesday, which would have been Nassirudeen’s 17th birthday, a steady stream of teenagers lined up along Upper Street for their turn to pay tribute to the former St Aloysius pupil.
Flowers and cards piled up at the scene of his stabbing on the pavement outside The Mall antique emporium in Angel.
Although Nassirudeen was Muslim, Christians left messages of sympathy and regret including a miniature copy of the New Testament with the words “Thou shalt not kill” hand-written inside.
Omar Burton, 13, said: “He was a really close friend. I’m sad for his family. He was well-mannered and didn’t get into fights.”
His friend Kieran Tonner added: “He wasn’t a troublemaker. I didn’t know him too well but I knew he was a good person. He always had a smile on his face.
“He was polite, not one to make trouble. You hear someone got stabbed and he would be the last person that comes to mind.”
One tribute came from a group of friends called Drastyk Kid, Gatty, Gabman, Snoozy, Huggy and Samantha.
They wrote: “We remember the many Saturdays all of us coldsoldiers used to spend in Wood Green walking up and down Shopping City doing nothing in particular. Coldsoldiers was something that brought so many young people from north and east together and the good thing was we didn’t get into any major beef. It was mainly about the music and everyone just jamming… you have gone to a better place.
“We are all going to miss you so much but we pray you will watch over us and be with us. We love you.”
• Police are asking anyone with information on the death of Nassirudeen Osawe to call 020 8345 3865, or talk to Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111. |
 |
|
| |
| Your Comments: |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
