Renowned British-Ghanaian architect, David Adjaye, has found himself at the centre of serious allegations of sexual misconduct.
The award-winning cultural icon is credited for designs around the world including Ghana's National Cathedral, the UK’s new Holocaust memorial, and a museum of West African art in Benin City, Nigeria.
Three former female employees have come forward, accusing Adjaye and his firm of various forms of exploitation, including alleged sexual assault, sexual harassment, and fostering a toxic work environment.
These accusations, which span several years, paint a distressing picture of unchecked behavior within the architect's professional realm.
The three women, who have requested anonymity, share common experiences. They were all black women in their forties when the alleged abuses occurred, and each one is a single mother with strong professional connections and hailing from influential families.
Prior to their employment with Adjaye, they were acquainted with him and had mutual friends. Their decision to join Adjaye's business was motivated not only by the opportunity to provide for their families but also by their belief in Adjay's mission to promote black talent within the industry.
One woman expressed particular inspiration from Adjaye's ambition to revolutionize architecture in Africa.
The women have come forward in the hopes of preventing others from enduring similar abuse and shedding light on Adjaye's supposed private behavior. Their encounters with him have not only disrupted their careers but also caused financial instability and severe mental distress.
To corroborate their accounts, the Financial Times conducted interviews with colleagues, family members, and friends who were confidants of the women.
The investigation also involved the review of contemporaneous emails, documents, and text messages.
These efforts were made to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the allegations and provide further validation to the women's claims.
The FT publication said Adjaye's legal team insists that the three women each had “their own grievances” against him.
Sir Adjaye himself also "absolutely reject any claims of sexual misconduct, abuse or criminal wrongdoing. These allegations are untrue, distressing for me and my family and run counter to everything I stand for.”
The architect added that “I am ashamed to say that I entered into relationships which though entirely consensual, blurred the boundaries between my professional and personal lives. I am deeply sorry."
"To restore trust and accountability, I will be immediately seeking professional help in order to learn from these mistakes to ensure that they never happen again.”
Read the full report as published in FT.
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