Flutterwave co-founder, Aboyeji, reacts to harassment claims from former staff

The co-founder of Flutterwave, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, has reacted to the harassment allegations made by Clara Wanjiku Odero, former employee of the firm, against the current Chief Executive Officer, Olugbenga Agboola.

Clara had written an article to detail her alleged unfair treatment while working under Agboola, and the alleged harassment she experienced after resigning from Flutterwave in late 2018.

“A lot of things happened and in the end I felt like I was not being treated well and rendered my resignation.” Clara wrote in the revealing article published on Monday.

The tech dev expert alleged that she faced five years of constant harassment. During this period, Flutterwave had been led by Aboyeji, who resigned to start venture capital, Future Africa, in October 2018, handing over to Agboola.

Shortly after Aboyeji’s exit, Clara, who was crucial to Flutterwave’s East Africa operation, followed – and she blamed Agboola solely.

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Clara’s harassment claims: job sabotage, fraud implication, police summon

Following her resignation, Clara said her dues were withheld by Flutterwave, despite agreement that she would receive payment upon handing over company property in her possession.

However, the payment system firm – which recently raised $250 million Series D from various foreign and domestic investors, to take total VC funds to $474.5 million and valuation to $3 billion – chose to have a court confrontation; and Clara lawyered up.

It was gathered that Clara contacted Agboola over her dues as Flutterwave wasn’t forthcoming as agreed, informing him she had a lawyer on standby if the firm doesn’t choose to play ball.

“Kindly go ahead with the lawyer .” Flutterwave CEO dared Clara in a chat seen by Ripples Nigeria, adding, “I will not be blackmailed or threatened. will be waiting.” Agboola wrote in the screenshot.

On November 9, 2018, Clara’s lawyer, Obinna Osisiogu, Senior Attorney for Silk Partners LLP, served Flutterwave papers through email – and this led to series of calls from the unicorn startup, asking to settle out of court.

“I immediately began to receive calls from various Flutterwave staff asking to talk and resolve this amicably.” Clara wrote.

But the refusal to pay her the dues wasn’t all, as she was also accused of opening a Twitter account to constantly alleged that sexual harassment was ongoing in Flutterwave.

Agboola, popularly called GB, was alleged to have also sabotaged a job opportunity she got in Nigeria, “I got introduced to a bank in Nigeria for a role which GB then sabotaged by saying I was a bad worker,a crime in California.”

She also claimed police officers questioned her mother in her office in May 2019, over an MPesa fraud involving Nigerians, a visit she alleged was orchestrated by Flutterwave.

“While on a work trip to Ghana in May 2019, my mother called me and told me the police were at her office saying I was involved in some Mpesa fraud with Nigerians..she wasn’t coherent because she was obviously scared but I knew it was Flutterwave before she finished the call.”

Ripples Nigeria understands that Clara had been the contact person for Flutterwave’s paybill service in collaboration with MPesa – she had requested that her name be removed, but it wasn’t, and when a fraud occurred, she became a suspect.

After informing GB of the police summons and harassment faced by her mother over the fraud case, Agboola allegedly said he wasn’t aware, and the situation will be resolved.

However, Clara said the company didn’t assist with the situation, “I had to go to the Department of Criminal Investigations with a lawyer to sort it all out. Neither Flutterwave nor their CEO was of any assistance.”

All this, including an interview she said GB tried to smear her name, led Clara to sue Flutterwave. Although, she won a settlement, but she appealed the case for a higher settlement.

Aboyeji denies involvement

Her five years period in Flutterwave includes the years Aboyeji was CEO, meaning that Clara also experienced her unfair treatment during his tenure at the tech firm.

“This is untrue. Clara left shortly after I had resigned. I am only saying this because it is very important that the timelines are clear to all.” He wrote on Tuesday on his Twitter account.

Aboyeji said the situation saddens him, and he hasn’t directly been involved in any decision making or matter involving Flutterwave since October 2018 – absolving himself from the harassment Clara said she faced after she resigned.

“For the record I am extremely saddened by the situation between Clara and Flutterwave and I hope genuine reconciliation and forgiveness is still possible. That is really all I have to say.

“I haven’t been directly involved in any decision making or matter involving @theflutterwave since October 2018. I am saying this without prejudice to any of the ongoing conversations and for the information of the many journalists reaching out to me for comment. I have none.” Aboyeji wrote.

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