A Nigerian king-to-be has been been awarded $13,612 compensation by the Irish courts for unfair dismissal by supermarket giant Tesco.

The Employment Appeals Tribunal said Tesco had failed to "adhere to any of the procedures" when it dismissed Edward Agbaje, originally from Nigeria and now living in County Offaly.

Tesco had fired Agbaje after he spent a total of nine weeks in his home country on "kingly duties."

Agbaje told the court he was required to carry out special ceremonies in his native village in preparation for his ascendancy to the throne.

In April 2008, he booked a four-week vacation in Nigeria but said he was forced to stay an extra two weeks because of village duties regarding his kingship.

He told the Irish tribunal that he told Tesco that he might have to take further vacation time to fulfill other kingly obligations.

He said his explanation was accepted and that he did not receive any warnings or disciplinary action.

In November that same year he took a three-week vacation in Nigeria.

Agbaje says he had two weeks off from November 10 but Tesco says he was only given a week's unpaid leave. Agbaje phoned Tesco from Nigeria to say he would be delayed and then did not return until December 1.

In the meantime, the company sent several letters seeking an explanation for his absence followed by a later letter to say his employment was at an end.

The tribunal said the supermarket had failed by not giving Agbaje a representative during the disciplinary hearing.

However, they did say there was "an element of contribution" on Agbaje's part.

 

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