Oluwadolarz, a popular social media personality in Nigeria, has been accused of scamming AfriMarketSquare 150,000 Naira. AfriMarketSquare is a startup that aims to help Nigerians buy and sell products online.

The alleged scam took place in March 2021. AfriMarketSquare's co-founder, Peter, reached out to Oluwadolarz on Instagram to discuss a business promotion. Oluwadolarz agreed to promote AfriMarketSquare on his social media channels in exchange for 150,000 Naira to cover shooting costs.

In the age of social media, influencers have become powerful figures with significant impact on their audience. One such personality in Nigeria is Oluwadolarz. With a massive following on various platforms, he has garnered admiration and support from many. However, behind the facade of a charismatic social media personality lies a disturbing incident involving AfriMarketSquare, which sheds light on the darker side of this influencer.

The Unfortunate Scam

In March 2021, AfriMarketSquare Co-Founder & Developer, Peter, reached out to Oluwadolarz on Instagram for a business promotion collaboration. After some discussion, they settled on the idea of building a website together. Oluwadolarz proposed that Peter design a website for him to help him sell social media followers. However, technical limitations led to a change in plans, and they decided on a news/blog publication website instead. Oluwadolarz agreed to support the project by covering the domain name registration and hosting expenses. Additionally, Oluwadolarz proposed creating a skit at a shooting cost of 150,000 Naira, with Peter paying for that alone.

A Broken Promise

Everything seemed to be on track, and both parties saw this collaboration as a promising opportunity for a long-term business partnership. On March 3rd, 2021, Oluwadolarz chose the preferred name for the blog website, initially considering "dolarznation.com" and "dolarzfundz.com" but later changing it to "dolarzhub.com" based on Peter's suggestion.

Peter proceeded to register the domain "dolarzhub.com" on namecheap.com and shared the invoice for all the purchases with Oluwadolarz. Peter paid the necessary expenses, deducting the costs for the domain and hosting, and transferred the agreed-upon amount of 124,000 Naira to Oluwadolarz's First Bank of Nigeria account "3118183708, Ogunleye Olamide Babatunde", on March 4th, 2021, at 8:24 PM, with a note referencing the "Afrimarketsquare Advert."

Deception and Silence

The development phase of the website began immediately after the payment, and an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) with a simple administrative panel was created for Oluwadolarz to preview. Detailed instructions were sent to him on March 8th, 2021. However, to Peter's dismay, Oluwadolarz suddenly stopped responding to messages and calls.

Despite previous regular voice calls and interactions, Oluwadolarz became elusive, leaving Peter and his team in a state of confusion and disappointment. When Peter reached out using a different number, Oluwadolarz apologized for not responding but failed to follow through on his promise to get back to him.

Seeking Refund and Accountability

Recognizing that they were being played, Peter halted the development of "dolarzhub.com" and requested a refund from Oluwadolarz on March 22nd, 2021, providing an account number for the transfer. Unfortunately, Oluwadolarz never refunded the amount nor replied to the refund request.

Efforts to resolve the matter continued in 2022, with Peter writing to Oluwadolarz on Instagram to plead for a refund. However, the only response received was a casual apology for missing the call.

Attempts to Reach Out

Feeling betrayed and misled, AfriMarketSquare made several attempts to get a refund from Oluwadolarz, but all their efforts were in vain. Peter reached out to other influencers for assistance, but unfortunately, most did not respond to their plea for help.

Evidence we have

To substantiate their claim, Peter and AfriMarketSquare possess concrete evidence, including chat screenshots, voice notes, and transaction receipts sent to Oluwadolarz's personal bank account.

AfriMarketSquare Aim

AfriMarketSquare aims to bring justice and hold Ogunleye Olamide Babatunde accountable for his actions. They emphasize the importance of supporting role models who exhibit integrity and responsibility while holding them accountable for any wrongdoing. Their intention is not to seek fame but to highlight the trauma they experienced and create awareness about this unfortunate incident.

They hope that by shedding light on this unfortunate incident, they can encourage others to speak up against any wrongdoing, even when it involves someone with a significant following.

The Impact on AfriMarketSquare

AfriMarketSquare's primary goal was to uplift Nigeria's e-commerce system and provide a platform for sellers to thrive online. However, Oluwadolarz's actions had severe consequences for their business.

Potential investors who had shown interest in supporting their venture were discouraged by the situation, leading to setbacks in their growth and promotion efforts. Investors are more likely to invest in a company that they believe is legitimate and that has a good reputation. The alleged scam has damaged Afrimarketsquare's reputation and has made it less likely that investors will invest in the company.

Second, the alleged scam has set back AfriMarketSquare's development. The money that was scammed could have been used to hire more developers, to improve the AfriMarketSquare platform, and to market the company. The lack of funding has made it more difficult for AfriMarketSquare to develop and grow.

Third, the alleged scam has caused emotional distress to Peter and the other members of the AfriMarketSquare team. They have worked hard to build the company and they are disappointed that someone would scam them. The alleged scam has also caused them to question their own judgment and to wonder if they should continue working on the company.

Conclusion

The alleged scam by Oluwadolarz has had a number of negative effects on AfriMarketSquare. The company has lost potential investors, its development has been set back, and the team has experienced emotional distress. Peter is calling on Oluwadolarz to refund the money that he scammed and to publicly apologize for his actions. He is also calling on Oluwadolarz's fans to hold him accountable for his behavior.

Influencers carry a great responsibility due to their influence on social media. Unfortunately, not all wield their power responsibly, and incidents like this remind us of the darker side that can exist behind the glamour. AfriMarketSquare's journey reflects the challenges many businesses face, but they are determined to bring about justice and raise awareness about the consequences of dishonest actions.

It is essential for the online community to stand together against such behavior and support those who strive to bring positive change. As we navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape, let us remember the significance of honesty, accountability, and integrity in all our interactions.