Ex-Globus Bank Staff Member Accuses Manager Of Workplace Abuse, Body Shaming, Forced Resignation

Aformer staff member of Globus Bank in Warri, Delta State, Ibordor Sarah Oghenekparobo, has accused her branch manager, Oshiozuwa Awoniyi, of sustained workplace harassment, verbal abuse, body shaming, and allegedly orchestrating her forced resignation without due process.

The allegations have raised concerns about staff welfare and internal governance practices within the financial institution.

In an exclusive interview with SaharaReporters on Wednesday, Sarah described what she called “dehumanising” treatment at the Warri branch, alleging that she was targeted over her appearance, personal choices, and her refusal to conform to what she described as a “fake lifestyle culture” within the workplace.

Sarah, who hails from Ibusa in Delta State, said she had built her banking career over more than a decade across several financial institutions before joining Globus Bank.

She said she lived in Kano for 12 years, during which she worked with Access Bank, briefly with UBA, and later Sterling Bank before its transition to Alternative Bank. She later joined Globus Bank.

She explained that she relocated to Warri in September last year after her husband decided to move back from Kano.

According to her, she resumed at the Warri branch in October, but described her experience there as shocking, adding that she had never encountered such conditions in her entire banking career.

According to Sarah, the alleged harassment began almost immediately, over what she described as trivial personal matters, including the type of cup she used in the office.

“It started with my cup,” she said. “I brought an antique ceramic cup from home. They held a meeting and said I was ‘local’ and ‘not classy’ for using it. They took the cup from me and insisted I use expensive coffee mugs. I was shocked. This had nothing to do with my job performance.”

She added that a colleague later confirmed the office culture.

“Someone told me, ‘Welcome to the world of fake life.’ That was when I realised something was wrong,” she said.

Beyond that, Sarah alleged that her dress sense and personal appearance became a constant target of criticism from the branch manager.

“I am a pastor’s wife. I dress decently, nothing above my knees,” she said. “But my manager would call me into her office and insult me. She said I dressed like a ‘Christmas tree’ and that my clothes should be shorter. She even questioned why I wore my wedding ring.”

Recounting one incident, Sarah said Awoniyi insulted her in front of others after a business-related phone call.

“She called me a ‘big fool’ and ‘idiot’ in Pidgin English,” Sarah said. “All because I told a customer she was married. I was just trying to build trust for business, but she turned it into an insult.”

The allegations escalated to more disturbing claims of body shaming and colour discrimination.

“She called me into her office and told me she didn’t like my dark complexion,” Sarah alleged. “She said even her anus was better than my entire body. She snapped my picture and sent it to her friend to recommend bleaching cream for me.”

According to Sarah, the pressure to alter her appearance extended to her jewellery and wardrobe.

“She insisted I must always wear gold jewellery every day. If I didn’t, she would complain. I had to stop wearing my gold entirely because I couldn’t keep up with that expectation,” she said.

She further claimed that colleagues encouraged her to take clothes on credit to meet the perceived office standard.

“One colleague took me to a boutique and suggested I take clothes worth up to N1 million on credit. I refused. I told her I live within my means,” Sarah said.

Despite these challenges, Sarah maintained that her job performance remained strong.

“When I joined, I was doing about N58 million. Within three months, I hit over N300 million in transactions,” she said. “So I don’t understand how my performance became an issue.”

However, after confronting her manager about the insults, Sarah said the situation worsened.

“I told her respectfully that I didn’t like the insults. After that, she said she would start documenting everything I did,” Sarah recalled. “That’s when the queries started, over everything.”

She described receiving multiple queries, including one issued while she was hospitalised.

“I had ulcer complications and was admitted. My husband informed her. But when I returned, she issued a query for absence and insubordination,” Sarah said.

 

Another incident involved a trip to visit her sick mother, who was battling cancer and had suffered a stroke.

“I sought permission before travelling. She approved it,” Sarah said. “But later, she used it against me and issued another query, even though I returned and completed my work.”

According to Sarah, she was eventually summoned before a disciplinary committee.

“I went there and explained everything. Even the head of compliance said he didn’t understand why I was there for insubordination,” she said. “I showed them my performance records and business pipeline.”

However, she said the outcome was unexpected.

“After the meeting, I was told everything was fine. But days later, my manager called me and said the bank had asked me to resign,” Sarah said.

Shocked by the development, Sarah said she reached out to senior officials for clarification.

“I was told the decision came from the Executive Director. No warning, no suspension, no formal outcome, just resign,” she said. “I never stole or defrauded anyone. In over 10 years, my record was clean.”

She described the experience as emotionally devastating.

“I broke down in tears. I kept asking, ‘What did I do to deserve this?’” she said.

Sarah further alleged that her salary was withheld and her account debited before she was effectively locked out of the system.

“They removed me without paying my salary. They debited my account and shut me out,” she claimed.

She also accused the branch manager of wielding undue influence within the bank.

“She gives gifts to HR and internal control staff. They do her bidding,” Sarah alleged. “Nobody wants to challenge her because they say her husband is very wealthy and influential.”

Sarah’s account paints a troubling picture of workplace culture marked by fear and silence.

“Staff are afraid to speak up because there are no jobs. People endure the abuse,” she said. “After I left, many colleagues started sharing their own experiences with me.”

Awoniyi Refutes Sarah’s Allegations

When SaharaReporters contacted Awoniyi, she explained how she had wholeheartedly accommodated Sarah and welcomed her into her branch. Awoniyi said that Sarah often dressed in ways that did not align with corporate standards.

Awoniyi said, “Honestly, I don’t even know how to explain everything. It’s not funny, but it’s complicated. I wish I didn’t have to be the one you’re asking. It would be better if you also spoke to other people to get a balanced view, so it doesn’t seem like I’m being biased.

“I think what happened here is a situation where someone acted emotionally rather than reasonably. I hope I’m making sense.

“I returned to the country last year around October after traveling. I was still recovering from jet lag when I received a call sometime in September from someone I didn’t know. She introduced herself as Sarah and said she worked at our Kano branch. She explained that her husband had been transferred to Warri and that she was looking for a position.

“Without hesitation, I told her there was space in my branch. I didn’t make any inquiries or contact her former branch manager, which, in hindsight, was my biggest mistake.

“I even followed up with her, asking about her relocation. She planned to travel by road with her children, but I advised against it due to security concerns and suggested she take a flight instead. I also helped arrange for her resumption date to be extended. Eventually, she resumed work on October 2nd.”

According to Awoniyi, “When she arrived, we connected immediately. I’m naturally empathetic; people often say it’s both my greatest strength and weakness. I welcomed her warmly and treated her like part of the team.

“However, from the beginning, there were issues. Some seemed minor at first, but they kept recurring.

“For instance, she mentioned clothing and jewellery in her complaint, which surprised me. When she first arrived, she told me gold was cheaper in Kano and even offered to help me buy some. Later, when she complained about the cost of living, I advised her that she could buy and resell gold as a way to manage financially.

“I was shocked to later hear that she claimed I said she couldn’t afford gold. That is a complete misrepresentation. Over time, I realized she had a tendency to twist conversations.

“Another issue was her performance. She was not meeting expectations. As a manager, my performance is tied to my team’s output, so I tried to support and encourage her, especially in areas where I knew she had potential.”

The branch manager explained that Sarah frequently absented herself from work.

“She would report sick on Mondays, go to the hospital, and then be absent for most of the week, only to return the following Monday. This became a pattern.

“At one point, she told me she didn’t like being scolded. I apologized and adjusted my approach, but her behaviour didn’t change.

“Eventually, I had to issue queries, only two, in fact, because I prefer resolving issues through conversation rather than formal discipline. But her conduct left me no choice.

“Regarding dress code, she often dressed in ways that did not align with corporate standards. I would address it casually, sometimes jokingly, as a colleague, not in a hostile manner. For example, I once told her an outfit looked more like a choir uniform than office wear. I never sent her home or formally punished her over dress code, even though that would have been within policy.”

“She also displayed difficult interpersonal behaviour. She often clashed with colleagues, despite being the most junior team member. There were frequent disagreements over minor issues,” Awoniyi said.

Awoniyi noted that, at some point, she began to notice inconsistencies in Sarah’s statements.

She said, “For example, she once requested time off, saying her mother was undergoing cancer treatment. However, during that same period, she attended a political rally, which she posted on social media. I chose not to confront her about it.

“There were also instances where she failed to communicate properly. On one occasion, after being granted leave, she informed me late at night that she was just entering town, without clearly stating she would miss work the next day. Given that she was responsible for coordinating a meeting, this was highly unprofessional.

“Her performance as a marketer was also significantly below expectations. She consistently delivered less than 10% of her targets over an extended period. Although she showed slight improvement toward the end, it was insufficient.

“Eventually, due to her performance and conduct, management decided she should resign. I initially resisted and wanted to appeal the decision, but she declined.

“When she left, I was deeply affected. It was a difficult experience for me as a manager. However, I was advised by HR and senior management that such decisions are sometimes necessary.

“After her departure, she began making serious allegations against me, including claims that are completely false and defamatory. I was advised not to pursue legal action at the time, but I made it clear that I would if necessary.”

“In summary, the core issue was her attitude and performance. Rather than addressing feedback and improving, she chose to shift blame and misrepresent events. That is my account of what happened,” she added.

Efforts to contact Elias Igbinakenzuwa, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Globus Bank, as well as the Head of Compliance, Olaitan Lasore, were unsuccessful, as they did not answer calls or respond to messages sent to them.