Ekpeki Allegations
Updated 10/29/24 to add ASFS statement; 10/31/24 to add Ekpeki statement; and 11/12/24 with further updates from Ekpeki, and 12/10/24 to add the ASFS statement.
Latest update: On December 10, 2024, the African Science Fiction Society (ASFS) released a statement announcing their current stance regarding allegations against Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and the establishment of a Code of Conduct.
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Multiple allegations of unethical and unprofessional behavior on the part of Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki have recently come to light, including in this report by author and editor Erin Cairns, and through comments by other industry professionals on social media. From Erin Cairns’ report: “I am reporting Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki for unethical practices. He submitted a story entirely written by me into a black voices magazine without my name on the byline. He lied about who he knew and how well he knew them. He obfuscated information about publications and editors and manipulated me to such an extent that I still struggle to trust myself and others.”
On October 31, 2024, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki responded at length and point by point to the allegations made against him by Erin Cairns, in a statement that can be found here. “I think there was a lot of assumptions from, a lot of misunderstanding and miscommunication on both sides, a lot on me, because I am handling a lot, while working and living in terrible conditions, while being chronically ill. It’s the curse of being poor and disabled and in Nigeria. And I apologize for the pain that caused. But I did not try to steal from Erin.”
On November 11, 2024, Ekpeki contacted us with additional information, linking to a piece on File 770 and saying,
The major ssues here have been disproved. That I sent it in without her name on the bi-line…. Additionally, the magazine has published white people singularly and confirmed they would definitely have published Erin collaborating with me. So her point about it being an own voices magazine isn’t true either. Neither is the one about it being written entirely by her. My contributions are there, albeit unsatisfactory to her. But it still doesn’t make it not a collaboration. Also, I offered her payment multiple times as is in her own report. .
Lastly, her claims of having edited works in Dominion or copy edited it are false. She even made an apology about it public, and to Zelda my co-editor by email as well, which she shared here.
Previous to Ekpeki’s responses to the allegations, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) made the following announcement on October 28, 2024, regarding the removal of Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki from the board of directors.
On 10/27/2024, the Board met to discuss multiple ethics complaints regarding Director-at-Large Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki after hearing statements from various parties involved. Mr. Ekpeki was also given a chance to speak to the Board regarding these complaints. After due consideration, and in compliance with Article V(5)(iii) of the SFWA Bylaws, the Board voted unanimously to remove Director-at-Large Ekpeki from his position on the SFWA Board of Directors for good and sufficient cause, effective immediately.
The Board will not be answering questions on this matter to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.
On October 29, 2024, the African Speculative Fiction Society (ASFS) released the following statement:
We are aware of the specific allegations regarding ethics violations and appropriation reported, and other public concerns, related to one of our members and Nommo award recipient, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki.
We are also aware of the investigation and decision made by SFWA, however, we have not received complete information from all the parties involved, or a response from Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki.
As a membership organization of African writers and artists, we are committed to upholding standards that foster respect and integrity, and do not condone behaviour that causes harm or risk to any person, in any form, nor practices that seek to appropriate and erase other authors’ work, or any other allegations.
As an urgent response, the ASFS is committed to create a space for our members to come forward with any concerns, and an opportunity for Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki to respond.
We will be setting up a series of workshops for our members to discuss Codes of Conduct and fair practice in publishing. This will offer guidance on commercial publishing including contracts, processes, and rights – the benefits, the opportunities and the costs.
A direct outcome of these workshops will be a new ASFS Code of Conduct providing clear ethical guidance which will be circulated to our members for voting and to add to our Charter.
We will continue to update as information unfolds.
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