A Nigerian content creator and musician, Nkese Eyo, has accused popular TikTok personality, Habeeb Hamzat Adelaja — known as Peller — of exploiting job seekers by turning a recruitment process into a content creation opportunity without their consent.
The controversy began after Peller advertised a vacancy for a cameraman role on social media, promising a monthly salary of ₦500,000. The high-paying offer attracted a large number of applicants, including Master’s degree holders, who turned up for what they believed would be a serious job screening.
However, Nkese, who also creates digital content, said she left the venue feeling deceived, alleging that the interview was merely a filmed skit.
“I went for Peller’s job opening with the intention to work, pitch myself, and grow. But instead, I was used for content. No actual job. No follow-up. Just part of another episode,” Nkese wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I’m not against content creation. I am a content creator myself. But this was unfair.”
She further alleged that Peller made inappropriate remarks during the session, questioning her ethnic identity and body size. “He asked me about my tribe and said Efik is not a tribe. He also made jokes about my body, saying I’m big and could beat him. That was unnecessary,” she said in a follow-up video.
The incident has sparked backlash across social media, with many users criticising the act as insensitive and exploitative, especially given Nigeria’s worsening unemployment crisis.
Responding to the outrage, Peller took to Instagram to defend himself. He claimed the process was transparent and that two candidates were selected from the pool of 20 who showed up.
“Among the 20 people that came yesterday, we picked two persons… ₦500,000 naira monthly salary. I’m paying them before they start this month,” he stated.
Addressing Nkese’s allegations directly, Peller said, “We did a live stream. Everybody saw what we were doing. I was literally joking with you, and you picked only that part. I said I don’t know the tribe.”
He also questioned the intensity of the backlash: “Everybody is now pouring anger on me, as if I am the one that said the economy should be hard. What have I done wrong? When I asked for a Master’s degree, did I tie anybody from their house?”
The debate continues online, with many calling for clearer boundaries between content creation and ethical recruitment practices.
