@csrf
Optiva Capitals

08.02.2023 Featured Ex-Employee Accuses Optiva Capital Partners of Sacking Him Unjustly and Withholding His Salary

Published 8th Feb, 2023

By Daniel Ojukwu

Ositadinma Umelo, a Lagos State resident, has accused Optiva Capital Partners Ltd., an immigration investment, insurance and wealth management company, of wrongful termination of his employment.

Umelo told FIJ the company sent him on performance leave on September 20, 2022, less than three weeks after he joined as a processing and collation officer, and refused to recall him or pay his N310,000 salary for that month.

Umelo said he joined the company on September 1, having agreed on an annual N2,895,000 remuneration package, and resigned his previous job.

Less than three weeks into his new job, he received a letter dated September 17, 2022, and signed by Queeneth Udowa, the company’s acting head of human resources at the time. Umelo was accused of unprofessional conduct in carrying out official duties and was instructed to go on leave without pay until he could acquire two clients for the company.

Umelo's offer letter from Optiva
Umelo’s offer letter
Umelo's offer letter from Optiva
Umelo's offer letter from Optiva

Umelo said the assessment of his work came as a shock to him. He said it was first mentioned by Francis Nechi, the company’s chairman, during a general meeting on September 19.

READ ALSO: Lagos Car Dealer Suspects Grimaldi Shipping Company Staff in the Disappearance of His Key Fob

He said Nechi accused him, during the meeting, of unprofessional conduct, and claimed a client called to complain of his actions.

This client, Umelo told FIJ, never made any complaint, and only had good things to say of his work.

“I spoke with the client recently to confirm why they laid a complaint, but the client said he did no such thing,” Umelo told FIJ.

He said the terms of his leave were unfair as he was not hired as a marketer. “I was asked to go home and would only be considered to come back if I got two investment clients. I was not employed as a marketer, so I wondered why it should be a clause in reinstating me,” Umelo added.

“They also said they would invite me for a training every two weeks and pay me N50,000, but they never contacted me.”

Umelo's performance leave letter from Optiva
Umelo’s performance leave letter

WE DID NOT TERMINATE HIS CONTRACT

When FIJ contacted Nechi, he declined comment, and said the company’s human resources department would respond.

FIJ called the department on Friday, and a man who identified simply as Matthew, responded.

Matthew told FIJ Umelo was not sacked but was placed on probation. He said, “It was within the period of his probation, so anything that was done was done not because there was hatred. He was just not professional about his job, but he was brought back, placed on performance leave.

READ ALSO: With False Slots, ‘Lagos LIRS Staffer’ Scams N195,000 From Job Seekers

“He left on his own. It was an opportunity for him to prove himself and return to the business. Performance leave is not just for marketers; it is given to everybody, even HR.”

Matthew said the company had paid Umelo for the period he worked for. Umelo disputed this claim, and Matthew said he would check the company’s records to prove they paid. As of press time, he was yet to provide this proof.

When FIJ asked Matthew about the claims Nechi made against Umelo on September 19, 2022, and why the letter was dated September 17, Matthew said he was not occupying his position at the time of the incident.

On Monday, Nechi sent a WhatsApp message to FIJ, saying he had sent for Umelo’s file and “should be in a position to take a decision to either discuss directly with you or get one of our staff members with relevance on the matter to do so.

He said ”whatever happens, you will hear from us today”, but as of press time, Nechi was yet to reach FIJ.

FIJ also called Cosmos Agba, the last client Umelo interacted with on behalf of the company.

Agba said he never filed any complaint to the company over Umelo’s conduct and was impressed with the company’s handling of his business. He said he heard of the allegations against her and was surprised.

On Thursday morning, Adeniyi Ifetayo, the company’s media and communications strategist, called FIJ.

Ifetayo said the company did not dismiss Umelo. He said Umelo failed to reach out to his superiors for updates when his leave commenced.

“He did not report to any of his superiors when he was sent on leave,” Ifetayo told FIJ. “People learn on the job. He was sent on leave to learn and come back.”

When FIJ asked if Umelo was served a query stating what unprofessional conduct he exhibited, Ifetayo declined comment.

He said the company was willing to pay Umelo’s owed salary, but said he resumed on September 8, 2022, and could only be paid for his services between that date and September 20, 2022.

“He should tell us what he wants. He should calculate it and let us know how much we owe him so we can resolve this,” Ifetayo said. “The chairman is a busy man, and he informed me of the matter. I’ve not met the man in question before, but he can reach us and we will pay what he says we owe.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Published 8th Feb, 2023

By Daniel Ojukwu

Advertisement

Our Stories

UCH Unable to Pay Electricity Bills Despite N619m Power Allocation in Last 4 Years

Editor-in-Chief

Police Threaten FIJ’s BoT Chairman, Declare Soyombo Wanted

Breaking news

BREAKING: CBN Raises Capital Base for Big Banks to N500b

Nigerian Army

Why Declaring 8 People Wanted for Okuama Massacre Puts Nigerian Army in Contempt of Court

KFC

4 Times PWDs Accused KFC of Discrimination in Different Countries

FIJ Longlisted for One World Media Award — The 3rd Time in a Row

Okuama Resident Who Said Slain Soldiers Were Not for Peacekeeping on Army’s Wanted List

Month-Long Power Outage Forces UCH Doctors to Perform Surgeries With Phone Lights

Army Names 8 People Wanted for Okuama Massacre

LP Reserves 2027 Presidential Ticket for Obi

Advertisement