Ladi Anzaki Olubunmi, a Nigerian content moderator for TikTok, died in unclear circumstances in Kenya after being unable to return home for two years. A vigil was held by colleagues who raised concerns about the harsh working environment. Teleperformance Kenya disputed claims regarding her leave, while reports highlight poor working conditions affecting many content moderators.
In Nairobi, technology workers gathered to mourn Ladi Anzaki Olubunmi, a Nigerian content moderator for TikTok, whose death has raised concerns about her working conditions. She had not traveled home to Nigeria for two years prior to her death, which occurred under unclear circumstances. Her decomposing body was discovered in her residence, sparking discussions about the challenging lives many content moderators endure.
Colleagues revealed that Olubunmi expressed fatigue and a strong desire to return home. Despite attempts to reach out, Teleperformance Kenya, her employer, failed to comment on the incident. The company dismissed allegations regarding her being denied leave as “baseless and untrue.”
Content moderators in Kenya have shared experiences of inadequate wages, lack of mental health support, excessive working hours, and intimidation at work. These issues echo the lawsuits of over 100 former Facebook moderators who cited similar grievances against their employer and subcontractor in Kenya, Samasource.
During the vigil, numerous content moderators highlighted the detrimental impact of poor working conditions on mental health and overall safety, suggesting these factors may have played a role in Olubunmi’s tragic death. Friends indicated over 100 Nigerian workers at Teleperformance have faced challenges such as expired work permits, preventing them from utilizing an annual return ticket benefit to go home.
Olubunmi’s family was notified of her death a day after her body was found. Teleperformance contacted her brother to inform him of the situation and provided him with information about local investigators. However, her family is unable to afford the cost of transporting her body back home and is contemplating seeking assistance for a burial from her church in Nairobi.
The death of Ladi Anzaki Olubunmi has shed light on the dire working conditions faced by content moderators in Kenya, particularly those from Nigeria. Despite claims from her employer, employee testimonies reveal systemic issues that could have influenced her well-being. The tragedy is a call to action, urging a re-evaluation of labor conditions and support for workers in the tech industry.
Original Source: www.ksat.com
