Toni Isidore Smart: One Of The Ladies Who Claimed They Were Abused By David Adjaye Speaks Out
- One of the three ladies who are alleging Sir David Adjaye subjected them to abuse that borders on sex have dropped her veil of anonymity
- Toni Isidore Smart took to her social media handles to provide more information on her alleged abuse
- Among many things, Toni said it has always been her plan to fight against the abuse she suffered at the hands of Adjaye but some personal challenges slowed her to act
One of the three ladies who brought sex abuse claims against renowned architect Sir David Adjaye, has emerged from her anonymity with a statement that details her experience.
Toni Isidore Smart took to her social media handles; Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to pour her heart out, explaining that it took her great effort to emerge from her anonymity.
Source: Facebook
"David abused his 'Black Privilege', years of friendship and intellectual exchange. He used the call for 'Black Excellence' to groom us. He knew in particular that I had a deep desire to cross the Middle Passage and go home to West Africa.
That I am one of the fortunate descendants of Transatlantic Slavery who has the opportunity to trace my last name to a free African, John Stephen Smart of Sierra Leone and that my White Barbadian Maternal Great Grandfather, Sir George Campbell Deane, was a former Chief Justice of the Gold Coast (Ghana). It was this journey to roots, inter alia, that spoke to my very DNA and we spent time discussing it, over our almost 12-year friendship," her introductory passages read.
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She said while it has always been her plan to fight against the abuse she suffered at the hands of Adjaye, her responsibility as a single mother of two sons left her vulnerable and slower to act.
Toni Isidore was identified as Gene in the Financial Times report
The Financial Times Newspaper was the first to carry the story of the three ladies who came to be known as the "FT3".
In that report, Toni was anonymously referred to as Gene Myles.
Toni told the FT that she and another of the victims, Maya (not the real name) brought their children to Ghana to work in the Ghana office of Adjaye and Associates.
She said the architect regularly failed to pay their salaries on time and was slow to secure their work visas.
The situation got so bad that they were both left struggling for money and uncertain about their immigration position.
That is not all, Toni alleged during an interview with the FT that she and Maya were abused by Adjaye.
According to her, one day in Adjaye's room, he tried to sleep with both of them.
Toni explained in her release that her pseudonym, Gene Miles, was an iconic Trinidadian and Tobagonian whistleblower.
Initial attempts to get their stories out were tough
Isidore also disclosed when she and the two others decided to tell their story of abuse on multiple levels at the hands of Sir David Adjaye to the world, they faced serious challenges.
She claimed that the Architects Journal said they did not have the resources to investigate their stories.
"We were in fact dismissed with scant courtesy. One can clearly observe the change in their tone of reporting the story, from weak commentary to more serious reporting. The trajectory of their reporting of this story is riddled with 'wagonism'," Toni recalls.
At a reputable Trinidad and Tobago Newspaper, one of the reporters tried to take advantage of her.
"The investigative reporter listened to us and watched us shed tears, as we underwent the strain of telling our stories yet again. He said he was interested and then ignored us and proceeded to make advances towards me. The patriarchy continued to deliver its severe blows, as is the case when women like us rise," she stated.
According to her, if not Josh Spero and Anjli Raval of the Financial Times, their story would be buried.
Sir David Adjaye breaks silence on allegations of hidden deals in National Cathedral Project
In a separate story, YEN.com.gh reported that Sir David Adjaye dismissed claims that the National Cathedral project is mired in opacity and underhand dealings.
He wants Ghanaians debating the construction of the project to do so based on facts alone.
The renowned Ghanaian-British architect made the comments on the sidelines of the Black Star Line Festival Summit in Accra.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
