Vigil Held for Nigerian Content Moderator Ladi Anzaki Olubunmi in Kenya
Workers in Kenya mourned the death of Ladi Anzaki Olubunmi, a TikTok content moderator whose body was discovered after two years without return to Nigeria. Fellow moderators highlighted poor working conditions they face, including low pay and lack of mental health support. Teleperformance denied claims of denying her leave, while Olubunmi’s family struggles with her burial arrangements.
The Kenyan content moderation community held a vigil on Tuesday to honor a colleague, Ladi Anzaki Olubunmi, who passed away under unclear circumstances after being unable to return to her home in Nigeria for two years. Employed by Teleperformance Kenya, Olubunmi’s body was found decomposing in her residence three days after her death. While the exact cause is still unknown, her colleagues indicated she had expressed feelings of fatigue and was yearning to return home.
Teleperformance Kenya did not respond to inquiries from the Associated Press regarding Olubunmi’s situation; however, they described claims regarding her being denied leave as “baseless and untrue.” Content moderators employed by subcontracted firms in Kenya have voiced their grievances about substandard working conditions, which include inadequate pay, insufficient mental health support, extensive working hours, and experiences of intimidation.
In a related context, over 100 former Facebook content moderators have sued the company, alleging poor compensation and detrimental working conditions facilitated by the subcontractor Samasource, which operates in Kenya. During the vigil, numerous content moderators and data labelers reiterated concerns that stressful working conditions could have contributed to their colleague’s unexpected demise.
Kauna Malgwi, a friend of Olubunmi, disclosed, “There are more than 100 Nigerians working under Teleperformance company who haven’t had work permits for the last two years and so they have not been able to travel home despite having an annual return ticket benefit.” Following the discovery of her body, Olubunmi’s family learned about her death through a notification from Teleperformance, which included contacts for local investigators.
Due to financial constraints, Olubunmi’s family is contemplating asking her church in Nairobi to facilitate her burial, as her family is unable to afford repatriation of her body to Nigeria.
The tragic death of Ladi Anzaki Olubunmi highlights significant issues surrounding the working conditions for content moderators in Kenya. Colleagues attribute her distress to prolonged separation from her home and adverse labor conditions, raising broader questions about the welfare of technology workers. The vigil serves as a somber reminder of the need for improved labor practices in the tech industry, particularly among subcontracted firms.
Original Source: www.bowenislandundercurrent.com
