Renowned architect Sir David Adjaye has revealed the names of three Black women who have accused him of sexual abuse and shared private legal correspondence with the government of Ghana in an attempt to salvage his reputation.
In an investigative report published by the Financial Times, three former female employees of Adjaye’s architectural practice came forward, alleging various forms of exploitation, including sexual assault, harassment, and emotional abuse. Adjaye vehemently denies these allegations.
Nana Asante Bediatuo, the executive secretary to Ghana’s president, confirmed that the government had received information from Adjaye in response to concerns raised by the FT report.
Asante Bediatuo according to the Financial Times clarified that they sought clarification and were presented with documents prepared by Adjaye’s lawyers addressing the allegations. However, he maintained that it would be incorrect to assert that the government intentionally or officially disclosed the names of the complainants to the media.
Following the sharing of the confidential details with the government of Ghana, some local media houses have since published the details of the alleged victims online.
The executive secretary to the president of Ghana has acknowledged the possibility of a leak within the government but refuted any official or intentional dissemination of the complainants’ identities to the newspapers.
Adjaye on his part has admitted that he shared unredacted legal letters, prepared by the London law firm Farrer & Co in response to the FT’s investigation, on a strictly confidential basis with a client to provide a better understanding of the situation.
Meanwhile, the whistleblowing organization representing the women PPLAFF, has expressed concern, stating that the women had chosen to remain anonymous for their safety.
The organising noted that disclosing of victims identities is often used as a retaliatory measure and can deter others from coming forward.
Meanwhile, Adjaye following the publication of the FT investigation, Adjaye has stepped down from several prominent positions and projects to ensure that the allegations do not overshadow the work.
He resigned from the design project for the UK’s Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, relinquished his trusteeship at the Serpentine Galleries, and withdrew as an advisor to London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Additionally, the Studio Museum in Harlem, Manhattan, is severing its personal ties with Adjaye, according to the New York Times.
However, Adjaye will continue working on Ghana’s National Cathedral project, a multimillion-dollar undertaking initiated by President Nana Akufo-Addo, who aims to create a landmark comparable to Westminster Abbey and Abu Dhabi’s Grand Mosque. The allegations against Adjaye coincide with the project’s controversy surrounding escalating costs.
Two Ghanaian news outlets published articles revealing the names of the three women complainants without their consent or the opportunity to comment. The information was sourced from the legal letters, which included their names in pre-publication correspondence with the FT.
While acknowledging sharing the information with the government of Ghana, Adjaye says he took immediate steps to have the publications taken down.
“I accept that sharing the correspondence with the client [the Ghanaian government] was unwise, but there was never any intention that it should become public.
“As soon as I became aware of the article, I immediately instructed lawyers to take urgent steps to ensure that the identities of the women were removed immediately and that the article was taken down,” he is quoted in the report by the Financial Times.
