Feminist influencers trade blame after alleged sexual misbehavior of Paystack co-founder, Ezra Olubi, came to light
By Ishaya Ibrahim
The revelation of alleged sexual misbehaviour and bizarre social media posts by Paystack co-founder, Ezra Olubi, has spiralled into a wider conflict.
Olubi, a tech entrepreneur, recently got into trouble after his ex-girlfriend, Amaka Odeluga Obae, accused him of sexual manipulation and abuse during their polyamorous relationship (sexually involving three people). She admitted proposing the three-way relationship involving herself, her wife (a lesbian), and Olubi, the only man in the mix.
Olubi later ended the relationship and demanded a refund of the $55,000 he had extended as a loan to Obae. That appeared to trigger animosity in the relationship.
After the revelation, dark tweets made by Olubi long before he founded Paystack started surfacing. In some of the tweets, he allegedly encouraged sex with minors, joked that sleeping with minors was a cure for HIV, and encouraged his followers to take advantage of their neighbours’ daughters.
Kiki Mordi, a social media influencer who gained prominence after her Sex for Grades documentary with the BBC leading to the sack of a lecturer at the University of Lagos, got roped into the mess because of her closeness to Olubi.
Obae accused Mordi of having knowledge of Olubi’s actions, a claim Mordi denied.
Mordi, in turn, accused Obae of attempting to sabotage her admission process at Yale University by contacting a known feminist and lesbian, Professor Uju Anya, for a recommendation.
In a post on her X handle, Anya clarified that she contacted Mordi for clarification about her relationship with Olubi, specifically asking whether he was funding her.
Background
Obae, in a live audio recording, had said she felt compelled to speak out after realizing “the depth of the depravity” surrounding Olubi, stressing that she does not consider herself a victim but believes the public needs to hear the truth.
According to her, she first approached Olubi in September 2023 with the intention of forming a polyamorous relationship involving herself and her wife. She admitted that at the time, her interest was driven partly by financial motivations, as she hoped to leave corporate America.
Obae said the relationship began remotely and only became physical when she visited in December 2023, which was also the first time she met a junior employee Olubi was allegedly sexually involved with. Although the subordinate told her the relationship was consensual, Obae now says she is ashamed she looked away, adding that she believes the situation was far more complicated and that more individuals may have been involved.
She also claimed she later became concerned about Olubi’s pattern of control, emotional detachment, and alleged mistreatment of domestic workers, describing his behaviour as manipulative, demeaning, and psychotic.
Obae revealed that she and Olubi eventually ended their relationship in June 2024 after months of conflict. However, she said what ultimately compelled her to speak publicly were revelations involving her sister’s marriage.
Breaking down at several points, Obae said she now feels she “brought a monster” into her marriage, insisting that the behaviour she witnessed was alarming and harmful not only to her, but to others in Olubi’s orbit.
