Olowu, a Nigerian veterinary doctor in the United Kingdom, has accused Benjamin Kuti, popularly known as Oluomo of Derby and immediate past president of the Nigerians in the UK (NIUK) community, of refusing to refund £7,000 of the £10,000 he owed him since August 2023.
The Nigerian veterinary doctor, who wants to be known on a first-name basis, told FIJ that barring the £3,000 Kuti refunded, he has received only excuses and promises from him since he started requesting his money.
He said he contacted Kuti to inquire if he could help obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for a relative in Nigeria, and Kuti said it was possible. According to Olowu, there was no reason to doubt Kuti because he had helped him before.
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One of the Olowu’s receipts after paying Kuti.
“Kuti told me the CoS cost £10,000 and that I had to pay the full amount upfront. I proposed paying 70 per cent first and the rest when it was issued, but he insisted on full payment. So, I sent him £7,000 in July 2023, thinking he would go ahead,” Olowu told FIJ.
“Kuti later said he couldn’t proceed because it was not his decision to make but that of the people in charge. So, in August 2023, I paid the £3,000 balance to the same account number he had earlier sent to me on WhatsApp. Since that day, it has been nothing but stories.”
One of Kuti’s messages to Olowu.
Olowu said that months after the payment, Kuti took a long time to respond to his messages and rarely answered his calls. He decided to be patient with Kuti, but this yielded no positive response, eventually forcing him to demand a refund.
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Proof of Kuti’s partial refund payments to Olowu.
“In September 2024, Kuti promised to pay me £500 weekly for 20 weeks, and I agreed, but he defaulted. So far, he has only paid £3,000. He has not paid a dime this year. I need my money back,” Olowu said.
FIJ first contacted Kuti on October 9, regarding the matter, and he promised to resolve the issue. At that time, Kuti owed £9,500.
FIJ has contacted Kuti several times since October, and he has repeatedly promised to resolve the issue. On December 31, FIJ gave him an ultimatum of February 14, but as of press time, he had not repaid Olowu.
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