Nigerian Man Fired for Telling Female MD to Watch Her Tone

A Nigerian man has recounted how he lost his job after a statement he made to his female managing director. The man, known on X as @jayhemz, shared his experience on the platform, joining a conversation about the treatment of employees by Nigerian employers.

What Happened

In a tweet on May 20, @jayhemz stated that he lost his job after telling his female MD to mind the tone in which she spoke to him. He wrote: "I was sacked after I told a Nigerian MD, 'respectfully Ma, please don't talk to me in that tone.' They set up a 'disciplinary committee' shortly after that statement, and sacked me 2 days later. These things fester because people are too cowardly."

Reactions

His tweet went viral, triggering conversations about poor treatment of employees in Nigerian workplaces. Some reactions include:

—

Wide Pickt banner — collaborative shopping lists app for Telegram, phone mockup with grocery list

@olumulanon said: "Lol. As long as you're someone who moves with confidence and carries himself with a sense of worth, the Nigerian corporate space is not for you."
@ogbame_justus shared a similar experience: "An employer called me stupid, I said I'm not stupid, he said I should go home I'm fired, I said no problem, came back the next day to take my pay he owed me, they started trying to settle the matter, I quit abeg, took my pay and left. I haven't worked for someone as an employee since then."
@EOEboh commented: "A workplace that is based on disrespect is a toxic workplace... I don't care about your position or role in the company."
@mode9fix said: "They did that not because of you, but the others, so they stay in line and not get ideas."
@Firemankingsley added: "I don't tolerate disrespect at all. I am proud to have contributed to the sack of two senior colleagues who brought disrespect my way."
@Anu_official recalled: "Similar experience on my first job, he called me 'stupid' and I told him off. Got fired the next day."