My name is Ope, not Dope nor is it Nope…
On 19 December 2019, I resigned with immediate effect from a FTSE 250 financial firm based in London. On the basis of a repudiatory breach of contract. I was subjected to work in a toxic environment filled with racism, discrimination, anti-Semitism, harassment and bullying.
Since my resignation I have not taken any legal action against them, I did not seek any kind of financial gains. I wanted nothing more than to just be free of such hell! On the other hand, the firm have continued to hunt me, this time by litigation. They have taken legal proceedings against me in the DIFC courts stating my constructive unfair dismissal claim is fabricated. In addition, they filed an injunction to stop me working at my new place of work, claiming I am in breach of contract.
Upon being granted their injunction, the DIFC court released the order with reasons which stated under the claimant’s undertakings.
Until trial or further order in the meantime, the Claimants will continue to pay the Second Defendant’s salary and contractual benefits insofar as any payment is required under his contract of employment with the First Claimant.
I am not a legal expert nor do I have experience in legal proceedings but since the injunction was granted, my old firm have not paid a single penny. I have filed a case at the Employment Tribunal in the UK as well, however due to COVID-19 my case is one of many on a long list with a very long backlog. There is no telling when my case will be heard, it could be months but more than likely it will take years and my ex-employers are very well aware of that. It is as if I am being made to yield and live on my knees for wanting to escape a racist and toxic working environment.
I can’t find any other way to articulate myself, I honestly feel as if my previous employer is on my neck and quite frankly, I can’t breathe.
I watched an interview which spoke about the levers of power and racism. Directors, Managers and Heads of HR all have levers of power, but what happens when these very people fail to recognise the racism, discrimination, anti-Semitism which occurred under their very nose or even worse partook themselves? Ignorance can no longer be an excuse for racism, and I will no longer make excuses for people, being made to feel I am the one who is not good enough or to allow my voice to not be heard.
Racism is as subtle as a black person sitting on the bus, a white person gets up and moves and the black person says to themselves that they got up because I’m black.
Is it until I stayed and reached a deadly level of depression, suicidal tendency or even worst, death at the hands of these people would justice then be heard? My family had fear for my life and my mental health.
My old employers could very well say they are simply enforcing a contract but in my opinion having made continuous reports to Human Resources over the course of 2 years as well as management about unfair procedures which I had been subjected to fuelled by racism but still tried to persevere , I believe that contract had been broken a long time ago. Enough is enough.
I am a human being first and foremost irrespective of a contract. I am not a slave to my previous employer, that act in British history was abolished in 1833.
I read time and time again the letters and emails from the firm in question and their lawyers but cannot help to feel there is a belief of ownership over me or that I can be purchased. A few days prior to my immediate resignation the new Director who was allegedly said to be ‘better’ told me how he wishes “this is a situation that I can throw money at” and this made me sick to my stomach.
I read an interview which stated there is a social contract we all have, if I do something wrong or you do something wrong then the person who is the authority comes in and fixes the situation. The persons in my scenario who I believe had numerous opportunities to fix the situation is killing me and as a result that social contract is broken.
I am a far cry from being a perfect human being and have my flaws but here I stand today exhausted, depressed, writing this letter not knowing where it will go or who it will touch. I refuse to lose any fighting spirit and keep praying for better days for all Black people.
Racism still exist in the City of London and I would encourage those who have been subject to racism especially in the Finance/Banking industry to speak out. The only thing necessary to perpetuate evil is for good people to do nothing.
Black Lives Matter.
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This is the experience of Opeyemi Olayanju after working for a high-profile finance firm in London. To read about what he went through at work, use this URL – https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/black-trader-suing-tullett-for-racial-discrimination-is-in-limbo
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To read the original Open Letter by Opeyemi use this URL – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/racism-still-exist-city-london-open-letter-opeyemi-olayanju/