Recent reports in a section of the media alleging “mass exit” of staff from Airtel Nigeria over the movement from Airtel to Guinness of on-the-move Senior Manager, Brand and Communications Eyitemi Taire were mere speculations, afterall.

Sources close to Taire have disclosed that her resignation was to enable her take up her new role as Director, Trade Marketing at Guinness Nigeria Plc, a far bigger position than the one she was holding at Airtel. It was also disclosed that the offer to move to Guinness had been made to Ms. Taire much earlier but she kept it on hold to enable her complete a cycle at Airtel.

Taire’s appointment at Guinness was said to have come barely four months after her assumption of duty as Head, Brand and Communications at Airtel and had been on hold ever since to ensure that she was fully confirmed on her Airtel job before taking up the appointment.

Before joining Airtel in late November 2012, Eyitemi Taire had worked with Nigerian Breweries and the British American Tobacco Company. Her resignation had sparked up unfounded rumours of instability in Nigeria’s oldest GSM operator leading to speculations about the real reason behind her exit, especially as it came on the heels of the departure of Olu Akanmu, the former Chief Marketing Officer of the company.

Airtel’s Head of Public Relations Mr James Eze wondered why the exit of two people from a company has been portrayed by a section of the media as a “mass exit,” describing it as “a clear attempt at mischief.”

According to him, following the recent squabble over the handling of the company’s advertising account, some fifth columnists had formed the habit of waiting in the wings to amplify and twist any story on Airtel to suit their mischievous designs.

Said he: “It is unfortunate that people are insinuating unbelievable stories as the reasons behind Eyitemi’s exit. But if you are a Senior Manager in one company and another company offers you the position of a Director, would you say no? Eyitemi’s story is a clear one. The facts are there for anyone who cares to know the truth.”

Eze however assured that attempts to use the resignation of two staff as an opportunity to drag Airtel’s reputation in the mud would not succeed as the company was well known and respected as one of Nigeria’s leading employers of choice.

He pointed out that the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Nigeria had on October 2012 given the Best Human Resources Practices award to Airtel in appreciation of the company’s strict adherence to the highest standards in managing its growing workforce.

•Photo shows Eyitemi Taire.