Nigerian-Born Beauty Mogul Sharon Chuter Dies Mysteriously At 38 During Legal Battle With Major Corporation

Sharon Chuter, the founder of Uoma Beauty and architect of initiatives like Pull Up for Change, died at 38 on August 14, 2025, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner. Her death, currently listed as “deferred” and under investigation, has left a void in the beauty industry and raises questions, particularly given a recent lawsuit she filed against several companies.

Chuter’s passing resonates with the fates of other activists, such as Fikile Ntshangase and Ken Saro-Wiwa, who faced severe consequences while confronting powerful corporate interests.

Born in Nigeria, Chuter launched Uoma Beauty in 2019 with a mission to diversify the beauty industry, offering foundations in 51 shades and promoting inclusivity. She spearheaded campaigns like Pull Up for Change and the #PullUpOrShutUp challenge, urging companies to disclose Black representation in corporate leadership. Her “Make It BLACK” campaign celebrated Black-owned businesses and fostered positive representations of Black identity.

In February 2025, Chuter filed a lawsuit against MacArthur Beauty, BrainTrust, and Settle Funding, alleging fraudulent transfer and unjust enrichment. The complaint alleged that BrainTrust had taken control of Uoma Beauty’s operations, pushing her out of leadership roles, which culminated in an unauthorised and undervalued sale of the brand’s assets. Chuter had stepped down as CEO in 2023 following a health scare, which she attributed to the stress of building a global brand without a co-founder.

Chuter’s death draws parallels to the assassination of Fikile Ntshangase, a South African environmental activist shot dead on October 22, 2020, at her home in Ophondweni. Ntshangase, a leader of the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation (MCEJO), was actively challenging the expansion of an open-cast coal mine operated by Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd. Her activism addressed severe local concerns such as respiratory illness from coal dust, water pollution, drying of water sources, and desecration of ancestral graves. The mine’s expansion also threatened Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park, Africa’s oldest nature reserve, raising fears of increased rhino poaching. Ntshangase reportedly refused a bribe from Tendele Mines to drop legal action, stating,

I cannot sell out my people. And if need be, I will die for my people.”

Her death occurred amid threats against anti-mining activists and was condemned by organisations including groundWork and Human Rights Watch.

Similarly, Ken Saro-Wiwa, a Nigerian writer and activist, faced dire consequences for opposing corporate wrongdoing. As president of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), he led a nonviolent campaign against environmental degradation caused by oil operations, particularly Royal Dutch Shell. Arrested and tried by a military tribunal, Saro-Wiwa was executed on November 10, 1995, accused of inciting the murder of Ogoni chiefs, charges he denied.

Witnesses later admitted they had been bribed by the Nigerian government with Shell job offers to give false testimony. His execution drew international condemnation, prompting Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth and threats of economic sanctions. Shell later paid $15.5 million in an out-of-court settlement to his families while denying liability.

The deaths of Chuter, Ntshangase, and Saro-Wiwa, though different in context, highlight the risks faced by individuals challenging powerful corporations and advocating for social or environmental justice. Chuter’s untimely passing serves as a stark reminder of the precarious intersection between corporate power, advocacy, and personal safety.

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