Teleperformance Kenya denied claims it prevented Ladi Olubunmi, a Nigerian content moderator, from returning home before her death. Her colleagues alleged she was denied leave due to work permit issues, while the company deemed these allegations baseless. A vigil for Olubunmi highlighted poor working conditions affecting expatriates, raising awareness about the challenges faced by Nigerian workers in Kenya.
Teleperformance Kenya, a subcontractor for TikTok, has refuted allegations that it prevented Nigerian content moderator, Ladi Olubunmi, from returning to Nigeria prior to her untimely death. Reports revealed that Olubunmi’s decomposing body was discovered in her apartment three days after her passing. The company asserted that it had not denied her leave request, despite claims from her colleagues stating she had expressed exhaustion and an urgent desire to go home.
Colleagues mentioned that, although Olubunmi was entitled to an annual return ticket to Nigeria, her leave was allegedly blocked due to issues concerning her work permit. Teleperformance Kenya dismissed these claims, calling them “baseless and untrue.” Olubunmi had relocated to Kenya in 2022 to work as a content moderator for TikTok, under the French outsourcing company.
Following her death, a vigil was conducted by technology workers in Kenya in memory of Olubunmi. During this gathering, issues of poor working conditions were highlighted, which the participants believed may have contributed to her demise. A friend of the deceased, Kauna Malgwi, reported that over 100 Nigerians employed by Teleperformance have experienced difficulties in obtaining valid work permits, hindering their ability to travel home.
Malawi stated, “More than 100 Nigerians are working under Teleperformance who haven’t had work permits for the last two years, and so they have not been able to travel home despite having an annual return ticket benefit.” Inquiries made by PUNCH Metro regarding the incident to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission went unanswered.
This incident adds to a troubling history of Nigerian deaths under unclear circumstances in Kenya. In July 2021, two Nigerians died in suspicious circumstances at a house party, one falling from the seventh floor of an apartment, while the other collapsed in the kitchen.
In summary, Teleperformance Kenya has denied claims of obstructing Ladi Olubunmi’s travel to Nigeria before her death. Reports from her colleagues suggest otherwise, citing fears related to work permits. The situation has drawn international attention to the working conditions faced by expatriates in Kenya, raising concerns regarding their rights and safety. This incident recalls previous mysterious deaths of Nigerians in similar circumstances within the country.
Original Source: punchng.com
