By Olamide Jasanya
The member of staff recently accused by Nigerian designer Wana Sambo of assault says the allegations levelled against him are false, adding that it was in fact Sambo who assaulted him.
This is contrary to the message Sambo posted on her Instagram page on Saturday, May 24, 2014, detailing the alleged assault by Adekunle Adelakun Adedayo and his mother. She claimed Adelakun refused to accept his termination letter and didn’t want to release the company’s monies and documents in his care. Sambo further alleged that an attack was launched against her by Adelakun and his mother, during which her thumb was broken.
However, Adelakun says that the incident happened on Friday, May 23, 2014 at their Lekki Phase 1 studio in Lagos, where he worked as an accountant. He explained that prior to the incident, Sambo sent him a query on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, accusing him of being rude and lazy, which prompted him to resign the day after (Thursday, May 22, 2014). Adelakun said he was then shocked when Sambo offered him a termination letter on Friday, May 30, 2014 and ordered him to sign it.
Upon his refusal, he said Sambo locked him up in the office for a few hours, and then let him go when she saw he wasn’t going to sign. Afterwards, he says he informed his mother, who came over to talk to her.
‘Later, she (mother) called me to hand over the company’s properties which I did. She (Wana) gave me a cheque paying me for the days I have worked and asked that I must sign the termination contract but I demanded she must state that I have handed over the company’s properties with me. This got her furious and while she was trying to collect the paper from me, she held my shirt and started saying all sorts of rubbish. My mum tried to stop her but she harassed her too, pushed me against the wall and did a lot of damage by herself’, Adelakun narrated.
Adelakun said he reported the case to Maroko Police station and Sambo was arrested and detained for hours before her step-mother came to bail her out. He also stated that he might be pressing charges against her.
Meanwhile, Sambo is has not responded to calls, text messages or emails asking for her reaction concerning this new development.
Read the interview with Adelakun below…
NET: Wana Sambo accused you of beating her u along with your mum and brother. How true is this?
Adekunle: False
NET: Are you saying you didn’t hit her?
Adekunle: I didn’t
NET: So then who hit who?
Adekunle: She was the one who held my shirt and grabbed me
NET: Tell us in details, how it happened
Adekunle: On the 21st of May, I received a memo that I haven’t been doing my job and have been rude to her (Wana Sambo). I was told it would be my final warning. I tendered in my resignation letter the day after because my appointment letter stated I have to do so 14 days earlier.
On the 23rd, I went to work and she handed me a termination letter but I rejected it because I had tendered my resignation letter. She locked me up and said I couldn’t leave until I handed over all the company property that was with me. I told her I would have to confirm from my lawyer first.
She later let me go out and then I went outside the office to call my mum, she came over to the office to try to resolve the situation with her. Later, she called me to hand over the company’s properties which I did. She (Wana) gave me a cheque paying me for the days I have worked and asked that I must sign the termination contract but I demanded she must state that I have handed over the company’s property with me. This got her furious and while she was trying to collect the paper from me, she held my shirt and started saying all sorts of rubbish. My mum tried to stop her but she harrased her too, pushed me against the wall and did a lot of damage by herself. I reported later and she was called later and detained for couple of hours before her step mother came to bail her.
