An employee of ARM Pension has come forward with allegations of sexual assault against a senior executive during an office party. Ogochukwu Odogwu, an HR Business Partner at the firm, accuses Abisola Onigbogi, the Executive Director of Technical, of raping her after what was supposed to be a night of celebration turned into a harrowing experience. As Odogwu bravely shares her ordeal, she calls for justice and the urgent intervention of authorities to hold her alleged assailant accountable.
Dear Opeyemi,
My name is Ogochukwu Odogwu (formerly Temitayo-Omotere), and I am 36 years old. I work at ARM Pension as an HR Business Partner. I would like to officially report that I was sexually assaulted—specifically, I was abducted and raped by Abisola Onigbogi, the Executive Director of Technical at ARM Pension, on the night of July 18, 2024, during an office party. Abisola Onigbogi, who works at ARM Pension, No. 5 Mekuwen Road, off Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi, had penetrative sexual intercourse with me without my consent.
The assault occurred at a hotel where I woke up to find myself, called Limeridge Hotel at Chevron Drive, Lagos.
On the evening of the office party, like every other staff member, I had food and drinks. I mixed a small amount of Jameson whiskey and Coke. The whiskey bottle was opened by Francisca Azie at the table where I was seated with other colleagues. However, being part of the planning committee, I had to stand up from my table at intervals to coordinate the serving of food and, at those times, left my drink, food, and other personal effects in the care of Damilola Oluyori (07085757685), a colleague and friend.
My last memory of the party was around 7:30-8:00 p.m. However, Dami claimed that I mentioned to her that I was tipsy and could not drive, so she offered to find a way for me to go home. She then approached Abisola Onigbogi to drop me off since he lived around the same area as I do. I live at Femi Okunnu Phase 4 Estate, Jakande Lekki. Along with the Jameson whiskey, which was about ¼ of a plastic cup, I had one cocktail from the bar—that is the last I remembered.
I lost total memory of every conversation and activity. My last memory of the night was from 7:30 p.m., and my entire memory was wiped out, which was very unusual, even for someone who might have drunk excessively, which I didn’t. I have quite a good alcohol tolerance from precedent.
The next thing I knew, I woke up and realized I was in a room, fully undressed. I looked around and realized it was a hotel. I found my clothes in a pile, along with my wig, phone, and handbag. I checked the time, and it was around 3:00 a.m. My private parts were sore, bruised, and painful. I have also formally reported this incident to the Head of HR, who is my boss, with the Managing Director and another Executive Director in copy.
This incident has badly disrupted my life. I am a single mother with two kids, and my mental and physical state has been significantly impacted. I need to take care of and show up for my kids in all of this.
I sent Abisola a message that Friday morning asking why he didn’t ask Dami or any of my other colleagues for my address if he truly intended to drop me at my house, to which he had no response. I did not have any conversation with Abisola Onigbogi or give any consent to be involved with him in any personal way. At the party, he asked me to come sit with him, and I refused, preferring to sit with my colleagues, with whom I was comfortable.
He took me against my will, most likely spiked my drink with the help of someone or by himself, took me to a destination I didn’t know or want to be, and raped me. It is beyond sad that I could not be safe at an office function, and instead, my whole world has been overturned.