SEPLAT: The Dangers Of A One-Sided Story

Edmond Esi

Globally, history is replete with horrendous stories of how often one-sided story has wreaked havoc on individual lives, communities, groups and organisations. Like every coin with two sides, every story has two sides’ – distorted facts and the true facts.

Allowing our emotions to becloud our sense of reasoning often end in regret, doing more harm than good in the long run.

Just recently, the Nigerian media space was awash with news stories about Seplat Energy Plc, one of Nigeria’s leading independent International energy provider that has been operating in the country since 2009 for various negative allegations which have since been refuted and found out to be false.

The allegations against Seplat published in most online and offline media, ranges from racism against the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Roger Brown, who has since stepped aside from his role, to poor governance within the organisation, forced resignations and sacking of Nigerian staff based on discriminatory policies. There were also allegations of manipulative ranking scheme in the company, which also includes different retirement ages for Nigerians and expatriates amongst others.

Many Nigerians were miffed by the allegations with many calling for the head of the CEO of Seplat Mr. Roger Brown, a British national who was eventually deported by the federal government to calm frayed nerves.

One cannot blame Nigerians who called for the head of the former CEO on the basis of these allegations, to many disgruntled citizens, we cannot continue to be taken for granted and be treated like second class citizens by expatriates in our own country.

However, when the allegations were subjected to independent investigations, they have been found to be a result of high wired boardroom brawl being climaxed strategically with a media war.

According to reliable sources at Seplat like the Seplat Awesome Women’s Network (SWAN), some disgruntled outgoing members of the board who were part of the re-organisation otherwise termed “Transformational Agenda’ jointly embarked upon after the appointment of Mr. Brown, are now fighting back when the transformational policies they created are now biting them.

These powerful forces made up of principally indigenous retired executive and non-executive directors, have managed to infiltrate the management; polarizing the system along tribal and portfolio lines.

From all indications, Nigerians who were up in arms against the now deported CEO Mr. Roger Brown, where acting on the basis of a one-sided story – a dangerous trend that must be eschewed by all when emotions are high.

March 22, 2023