Nigeria, Nov. 28 -- On an ordinary November evening, Nigerians witnessed a sharp turn in the narrative of one of their most celebrated tech figures. What began as quiet online murmurs soon exploded into screenshots, threads, and timelines filled with decade-old posts - explicit jokes, sexual comments involving minors, unsettling humour, and troubling allegations - linked to a man once regarded as one of Africa's most brilliant innovators. Ezra Olubi, co-founder of Paystack and the unconventional face of a $200 million acquisition by Stripe, was suddenly trending not for genius, but for shock, disbelief, and disappointment.

By the end of the week, applause had given way to interrogation. Tweets long buried resurfaced with force, including...