So, let’s talk about this Paystack situation, because honestly, it feels like one of those stories where you blink, open your phone, and suddenly the whole internet is arguing.
Yes, that Paystack, the golden child of African fintech, Stripe’s billion-dollar darling, and the company everyone points to when talking about “Nigerian tech excellence.”
Well, they’ve just fired one of their own founders, Ezra Olubi, and the reason is… heavy.
What Actually Happened?
Paystack announced that they had terminated Ezra’s employment over serious allegations of sexual misconduct involving a junior employee. And here’s where it gets even wilder, they fired him before their internal investigation was even concluded.
According to Paystack, they’re following policy and taking things seriously.
According to Ezra, they didn’t even give him a fair chance to defend himself.
He dropped a blog post saying he wasn’t heard, wasn’t allowed to properly respond, and basically felt pushed out of his own company without due process.
It’s messy. It’s loud. And everybody is watching.
The Old Tweets That Poured Petrol on the Fire
Just when you think the story ends there, boom, the internet dug up Ezra’s old tweets from 2009 to 2013. And honestly? Some of them are disturbing.
We’re talking tweets referencing coworkers, minors, and even bestiality, things that are obviously not aging well for him.
After the backlash, he deactivated his X account.
And yes, people are asking:
Should old tweets define a person today?
Is this part of the investigation or a separate thing entirely?
Why now?
Meanwhile, Paystack has been very quiet on this particular angle.
Why This Matters More Than “Just Tech Drama”
This isn’t just about a founder being removed. This is about:
- Power dynamics in the tech industry
- How startups handle allegations against their own elites
- Employee safety and trust
- Tech culture in Nigeria as a whole
Let’s be honest, African tech loves to celebrate its wins (and rightly so), but moments like this force everyone to pause and ask some uncomfortable questions.
If a big, global-facing company like Paystack can have this kind of scandal explode, what’s happening in smaller, quieter workspaces?
How many things don’t get reported because the accused is “too important,” “the founder,” or “the genius behind the product”?
Paystack Is at a Crossroads
Right now, Paystack is walking on a tightrope:
- If they handled the allegations properly, they’ll be praised for choosing accountability over loyalty.
- If they didn’t, they risk becoming the case study for how not to manage misconduct involving powerful people.
And with their global reputation, Stripe partnership, and influence in Africa’s fintech ecosystem, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
What Happens Next?
Ezra says his lawyers are reviewing the entire situation.
Paystack is still conducting its “independent investigation.”
And tech X (Twitter) is doing what tech X always does, arguing, overthinking, and reading between lines that may not even exist.
But one thing is clear:
This story isn’t done. Not even close.
African tech is growing fast, but episodes like this remind everyone that growth without accountability is a disaster waiting to happen.
