Teleperformance Kenya Denies Blocking Nigerian Moderator’s Travel Before Death

Teleperformance Kenya denies preventing Ladi Olubunmi, a Nigerian content moderator, from traveling home before her death. Reports indicate she expressed fatigue and sought leave but faced work permit concerns. A vigil held by technology workers highlighted issues regarding poor working conditions for expatriates. The incident underscores ongoing challenges faced by Nigerian workers in Kenya.

Teleperformance Kenya, a subcontractor for TikTok, has refuted allegations that it prevented Ladi Olubunmi, a Nigerian content moderator, from traveling home prior to her death. Reports indicate that Olubunmi’s body was discovered decomposing in her apartment three days after her alleged passing. The company maintained that it did not deny her request for leave, opposing claims that she faced obstacles related to her work permit.

Colleagues of Olubunmi suggested she had expressed feelings of fatigue and a strong desire to return to Nigeria before her death, claiming she encountered resistance when seeking permission to travel. Despite having an entitlement to an annual return ticket to Nigeria, concerns regarding work permit issues allegedly hindered her leave. Teleperformance Kenya deemed these allegations as “baseless and untrue.”

Olubunmi relocated to Kenya in 2022 to serve as a content moderator for TikTok through Teleperformance, a French outsourcing firm. Following her death, technology workers in Kenya held a vigil to commemorate her and voiced serious concerns about poor working conditions that they believe contributed to her untimely demise.

Kauna Malgwi, a friend of the deceased, revealed that more than 100 Nigerians employed through Teleperformance Kenya have been working without valid work permits for the last two years, thus limiting their ability to return home, despite having the provision for an annual return ticket.

The case raises alarms not only regarding Olubunmi’s tragic death but also reflects ongoing issues faced by Nigerian expatriates in Kenya. Notably, this is not the first instance of a Nigerian’s mysterious death in the country, as similar situations have been reported in the past, raising concerns about the safety and wellbeing of foreign workers.

In summary, Teleperformance Kenya has denied allegations it impeded Ladi Olubunmi’s travel, clarifying it did not refuse her leave request. Colleagues reported her feelings of fatigue and a desire to return home, yet claims regarding work permit complications arose. This tragic incident highlights ongoing challenges faced by Nigerian workers in Kenya, prompting a call for improved working conditions and oversight.

Original Source: punchng.com