The Nigerian tech space is reeling this week as Ezra Olubi; the eccentric, widely admired co-founder of Paystack becomes the focus of a fast-spreading controversy that has pulled in feminists, celebrities, entrepreneurs, and thousands of online observers.
Ezra has long been more than just a tech founder. His daring fashion, unconventional relationships, and unapologetic public persona made him a standout figure in an industry known for understatement. Even as he helped build Paystack into a fintech giant acquired by Stripe for over $200 million, his image as a boundary-pushing creative remained intact. He was also honored by former President Muhammadu Buhari for his contributions to Nigeria’s digital economy.
But this week, all eyes are on him for a very different reason.
The storm began when Max, a feminist creator who was once in a polycule with Ezra returned to social media with a series of revelations about their past. Now married to a woman, Max described their former relationship in a way that caught many off guard, especially because the public had long assumed Ezra was gay.
In a tense Twitter Space, she referred to him only as “John Doe,” but the details made it clear who she meant. According to Max, Ezra:
- Initiated contact with her and sent her gifts
- Expressed romantic interest despite her being in relationships with women
- Treated subordinates poorly
- Lent her $55,000 for her brother during a Lagos trip
- “Set her up,” in her words
- Ran burner accounts she believes she uncovered
She also said she didn’t realize he was straight until later in their relationship, a revelation that fueled even more discussion online.
It didn’t take long before her comments spilled beyond the Space. X threads erupted, and screenshots began circulating at lightning speed.
Before long, X was consumed with old tweets, resurfaced videos, and commentary from every angle.
Some of Ezra’s past posts shocked users who hadn’t seen them before, sparking a wave of criticism.
Influential figures like TG Omori, Vee, and Jemima publicly expressed their concern as the narrative continued to swell.
Then the conversation escalated. The founder of Patricia, Hanu Fejiro openly called for Ezra’s arrest; a moment that added real tension to what had mostly been an online drama.
Ezra’s close ties to prominent Nigerian feminists became another focal point. Many had been regulars at his house parties, collaborated with him, or spoken glowingly about him in the past. Their silence during the unfolding accusations didn’t go unnoticed.
Users quickly began pulling up old tweets where some of these same feminists had condemned other men for similar allegations. The hypocrisy accusations spread almost as fast as the original story, and debate within feminist spaces became just as heated as the allegations themselves.
As pressure mounted, Paystack released a statement confirming that Ezra had been suspended while the company investigates allegations of sexual misconduct. No further details have been made public, and Ezra himself has not responded. He deactivated his Twitter account as the backlash intensified.
