Days after sexual assault allegations were leveled against him on social media, Edward Asafu Adjaye, popularly known as Deezy, and co-founder of Afrochella, has been asked to step down from his leadership role and responsibilities.
From what started as a regular trend on Ghanaian Twitter by a few people, the issue erupted quickly as series upon series of sexual allegations from different young women emerged.
More like a new #MeToo movement from Ghana, the women described, mainly in written texts, and in an organized Twitter Space on August 10, how Edward Asafu Adjaye had sent them inappropriate and unsolicited nude pictures on their social media. The victims added that he was always quick to block them when they did not respond positively to his advances.
After several arguments on social media about the veracity of the allegations, many people called on the Afrochella brand to take action to redeem its image, leading to the decision to let Adjaye step down on August 15.
The decision was contained in a press statement shared by Culture Management Group, the parent company of Afrohella, on their social media channels. The organizers through their statement assured the public of their zero tolerance for sexual misconduct.
“We do not support misconduct toward women and assure you that we’re reviewing all materials related to these recent claims. Within the next few days, we will share our resolution and path forward with respect to our community and in alignment with our zero-tolerance policy,” they stated.
They also assured the public of an ongoing internal review of the claims of which the outcome will be shared with the public.
“As we conduct our internal review, Edward (Deezy) Asafu Adjaye will be stepping down from his leadership position and responsibilities at Afrochella effective immediately,” the company added.
Afrochella has been one of the biggest festivals on the African continent that celebrates Africa’s diverse culture and highlights the vibrant work of African creatives and entrepreneurs. It is one of the main events that so many people on the continent and in the diaspora look forward to for December in Ghana.