Paystack, a Nigerian payment startup, has suspended Ezra Olubi, its co-founder and chief technology officer, over allegations of workplace sexual misconduct.
Born in 1986, Mr Olubi was between 23 and 27 years old when he made the tweets that now haunt his career, after Paystack suspended him from his role as chief technical officer.
“Can you contract one (STD) if the only thing you’ve had sex with in months is your cat?” Mr Olubi tweeted.
In the explicit X posts dated as far back as 2009, Mr Olubi appeared to be recommending sex with minors as the cure to HIV and said he lacked sexual discipline around 16-year-olds.
In September 2019, he urged a Twitter user to “save water” and “take a bath with ur neighbour’s daughter”.
“I hear sex wit a minor cures HIV, so my +ve followers, help yourselves,” Mr Olubi stated in a 2010 post.
A report by TechCabal said the fintech company has launched a formal investigation into the matter, after the allegation trended on social media on November 12.
Although Olubi’s X account has been deleted, social media trend showed his tweets were posted before he co-founded Paystack.
“Paystack is aware of the allegations involving our Co-founder, Ezra Olubi,” the firm told TechCabal.
“We take matters of this nature extremely seriously. Effective immediately, Ezra has been suspended from all duties and responsibilities pending the outcome of a formal investigation.
“Out of respect for the individuals involved and to protect the integrity of the process, we will not be commenting further until the investigation is complete.”
Paystack said it has established a “fair, transparent, and structured” review process to conduct a thorough investigation.
This, the payment firm said, aligns with its internal policies.
“This process is guided by our policies, our values, and our commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all employees,” the firm added.
Mr Olubi, 39, is known for his alte fashion lifestyle; wearing women’s clothing, using lipstick and painting his fingernails despite living in a conservative West African nation like Nigeria.
The Paystack co-founder had seemed unperturbed by criticisms of his fashion lifestyle, at least until Thursday evening, when he deactivated his X account.