The sack of a 71-year-old Nigerian grandmother, Janet Olufunke Damiro, from the London School of Economics (LSE) has generated a series of reactions from her family and unions.
The New Daily Prime reported that a 71-year-old Nigerian had been dismissed from her job after being accused of stealing a gold bracelet.
In a video obtained on X, Damiro, a Nigerian-born grandmother, narrated how she has lived in the United Kingdom since 1971, and how she was dismissed without pay in April 2025 after working at LSE for 13 years.
The dismissal followed an allegation of theft involving a student’s bracelet found at the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre, where she was on duty.
According to Damiro, the bracelet was picked up during her shift and placed in her coin purse for safekeeping, to hand it in later. However, she says she forgot about it until she was questioned by LSE management three days later. She then retrieved the item and immediately returned it, apologising for the oversight.
“I can’t sleep. I have never had a bad record or been to HR before in my life,” Damiro said in a video. “LSE have treated me really badly. It was my only job and I loved working there. I never expected to be suspended or dismissed. I did not steal this thing.”
Despite her apology and the return of the item, Damiro was suspended and later dismissed for gross misconduct. Her union, United Voices of the World (UVW), is contesting the decision and has launched an appeal on her behalf.
Family defends Nigerian grandmother
The family of Janet Damiro has spoken out against widespread media reports, describing the coverage as misleading and lacking important context.
In a statement released on Friday, Aina Damiro, Janet’s daughter, clarified the circumstances surrounding her mother’s dismissal, saying the issue had been “blown out of proportion.”
“To see her name and image associated with wrongdoing is not only unfair but deeply hurtful,” the family said.
“This was an innocent mistake that has been misrepresented, raising concerns about the treatment of older workers—especially women of colour in low-wage positions.”
They also noted that Janet had agreed to speak with Metro UK in hopes of raising awareness, not to be publicly shamed.
“We urge the public and media to reconsider how this story is being portrayed,” the family stated, calling on institutions to reflect on their responsibility to protect vulnerable, long-serving staff members.
Unions defend Janet Damiro, demand recall
The dismissal of Janet Damiro has caused a broader conversation about fairness in the workplace, particularly in the treatment of elderly and minority staff in lower-paid roles.
Speaking on the union’s position, a UVW spokesperson said, “It is ludicrous and absurd that someone can conclude she was committing an act of theft. If you were to steal an item, you’re not going to keep bringing it back to where you’ve stolen it. Janet is absolutely horrified at the thought that anyone would think she had stolen anything.”
Damiro’s dismissal has prompted an outpouring of support from her colleagues. Over 70 of them, including three supervisors, submitted a joint letter to LSE management defending her integrity and professionalism. “Janet has always conducted herself with integrity and consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic,” the letter read.
Students at the university have also launched a petition demanding her reinstatement. The petition criticises the school’s decision as “deeply disturbing” and argues that a sweeping punishment for what appears to be a minor and honest mistake undermines trust in institutional fairness.
LSE has declined to comment publicly while the internal appeal process is ongoing. A hearing is expected later in June.
Meanwhile, the case has gained attention online, with hashtags such as #JusticeForJanet and #RespectElderWorkers circulating across social media platforms. Many users have described the school’s actions as unnecessarily punitive and have called for reconsideration.
