A user on X, Chike Jones, has raised concerns about non-payment of his salary by Ify Rhodes-Vivour, wife of the Labour Party 2023 governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
Chike, who worked as a writer and social media manager for Afroscientric.com, a project owned by Ify Rhodes-Vivour, alleged that he was owed for over eight months.
He shared screenshots depicting delays in salary payments, stating that payment delays began in 2019, with instances of salary being delayed for months.
He wrote in part, “Sometimes I think in 2019, I started working for #IfyAniebo as several things including a writer and social media manager on this project -#afroscientric
“Not long after, I realised that getting paid on time was a problem. The salary was delayed sometimes for months. If you look at the dates in the screenshots below, you’ll see me asking for payments well after the end of the month. I didn’t consider it a big issue.”
Chike tweeted that In May 2020, Ify complained about his performance and decided to pay only a portion of his salary for a particular month, which he eventually received months later.
He said despite increasing his efforts, including starting an Instagram Live series on women in STEM, payment issues persisted.
He added that in January 2021, Ify secured a project from Nature (the journal) and appointed him a project managee, promising a separate payment from his monthly salary of N80,000.
Chike claimed to have contributed significantly to the project, handling invoicing, website design, and leading meetings.
When the project concluded, Chike faced challenges as Ify allegedly reneged on their agreement regarding separate payments.
Chike insisted on the agreed terms and provided a breakdown, prompting Ify to promise a bonus for his work during the project.
Despite continuous follow-ups from December 2021 to May 2022, Chike claimed that he did not receive the owed payment.
Chike also said that in May 2022, when he reached out again, Ify accused him of bombarding her and stated she would not pay.
Chike claimed that Ify asserted her superiority, stating she was a bridge he dared not burn, implying that she considered herself above him and that nothing would happen even if he pursued further action.
Reacting to this, Ify Aniebo wrote, “I am aware of the statements made by a former staff engaged in rendering services to Afroscientric. Rest assured, I take this matter seriously and I’m actively addressing it to ensure a timely resolution.
“It’s important to note that the recent tweets do not accurately reflect my character and the reputation I’ve worked hard to cultivate over the years.”
Also reacting to the allegations, Gbadebo on his X account on Tuesday said, “I have spoken to Chika and extended an olive branch in acknowledgement of an episode that I hope we can put behind us and look to better days ahead.”
He said he had reached out to Chika and that his due had been paid.
