The Chairman, Otolo Motors, Chief Innocent Ulasi has refuted what he described as false claims circulating on social media, accusing him of refusing to settle his apprentice, Ani Chisom Bright after seven years, which purportedly led to the young man committing suicide.
On Tuesday, social media was agog with the news of the death of Chisom, who allegedly penned a suicide note before purportedly taking a poisonous substance.
In the note which was handwritten, the late Chisom said he had decided to end it due to frustration following his Master’s refusal to settle him after serving him diligently for 7 years in Lagos.
In the note titled, “God is the greatest”, the late Chisom said he had tried his best to be successful but to no avail, due to his master’s act, apologizing to his mother and siblings for disappointing them.
He however acknowledged a certain lady he was living with, for being such a wonderful and nice person, praying to God to bless her abundantly.
But in a statement on Wednesday, the Otolo Motors boss, Chief Ulasi, while expressing sadness over the demise of the late Chisom, who he described as a promising young man who served under his employ for over six years, refuted the claims circulating on social media.
According to him, the late Chisom joined Otolo Cars in 2017 and was assigned to the company’s Onitsha office, where he lived with other apprentices, receiving a monthly stipend of ₦25,000 and provisions for food., and earning commissions from car sales.
He however revealed that in June this year, despite not having completed his agreed service period, the late Chisom began to demand early settlement.
Ulasi said the deceased’s complaints, primarily concerning feeding money, came despite being on par with his senior colleague, Emmanuel in terms of stipend and commissions.
He said in line with apprenticeship norms, he convened a meeting in their Onitsha office, attended by the lawyer who provides apprentices for him, Barrister M.C. Akudu, himself, Chisom, and the senior apprentice Emmanuel, where it was agreed that Chisom, along with his senior colleague, would be settled on December 25, 2024.
“Thereafter, it was reported that he began using hard drugs, and I took every opportunity to caution him against such behavior.
“Later in June, I was informed by Emmanuel that Chisom had abruptly vacated the company apartment without leaving any notice or address. His phone was switched off, and all attempts to locate him proved unsuccessful.
“I promptly reached out to Barrister M.C. Akudu and Chisom’s family, both of whom were equally unaware of his whereabouts. Subsequent investigations revealed that Chisom had eloped to Asaba, where he was living with some women involved in the film industry.
“Like all our apprentices, Chisom was treated fairly and compensated regularly, including timely payment of monthly stipends, provision of foodstuffs, and sales commissions, therefore, the claim that Chisom was not well-fed is entirely false.
“Again he left the company apartment without informing anyone and has been absent from my employ for over three months before the tragic incident, of which Chisom’s family is aware. He had been living in Asaba with a woman, as confirmed by multiple sources.
“I made repeated efforts to contact and retrieve Chisom, but all attempts were unsuccessful. So, the suicide note allegedly left behind by Chisom, referencing non-settlement despite his full awareness of the agreed settlement date of December 25, 2024, is an attempt by those propagating this falsehood to divert attention from the actual circumstances surrounding his death, which should be subject to an investigation into whose custody Chisom was under when he died,” he said.
The Otolo Motors boss queried why in the purported suicide note circulating on social media, Chisom was quoted as saying, “The woman I am living with is such a nice and wonderful woman, and God will bless her abundantly for all she has done and all she did.”
According to him, “If the statement was true, how is it that he died within three months of being in her custody, yet lived under his care for more than six years?
“How did this woman meet Chisom, and under what arrangement did they begin living together?
“As Chisom’s employer, I have extensive documentation of his work, including numerous receipts he authored. I can confidently assert that the handwriting in the alleged suicide note does not match his.
“Who rushed him to the hospital, and how was it determined that he ingested a poisonous substance without an autopsy?”
He appealed to the general public to understand the situations surrounding the tragic incident and refrain from jumping to hasty conclusions without the full facts, noting that the suggestion that he was in any way responsible for the tragic event is both hurtful and false.
Ulasi further urged the public to allow the proper authorities to fully investigate the matter, adding that his legal team is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation to ensure that the truth is brought to light.
