By Emmanuel Obisue
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to place Fuji music icon, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, on a no-fly list following a confrontation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
According to Keyamo, video evidence confirmed that the 68-year-old musician obstructed a ValueJet aircraft from taxiing to the runway, an act he described as “a temporary loss of sanity and control” that could have resulted in a fatal accident.
“Contrary to what his aides claimed, KWAM 1 persistently moved on the tarmac to actually block the aircraft from taking off. This behaviour is totally unacceptable and akin to a hostage situation,” Keyamo said in a statement on Thursday.
The incident, which occurred earlier in the week, has sparked widespread debate. While the NCAA suspended the pilot and captain involved for initiating taxiing without ensuring the area was clear, Keyamo criticised the one-sided disciplinary action.
“No amount of provocation should lead a pilot to taxi while a person is still on the tarmac. However, it is unjust to punish only the airline staff. What applies to the goose must also apply to the gander,” he stated.
As a result, Keyamo directed the NCAA to inform all domestic and international airlines of the no-fly order imposed on KWAM 1 pending a full investigation. He warned that any operator who defies the directive risks losing their operating license.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, in a statement signed by spokesperson Obiageli Orah on Thursday, accused KWAM 1 of violating aviation regulations while boarding ValueJet Flight VK 201 to Lagos. FAAN claimed the musician brought an alcoholic drink onboard and refused to surrender it when confronted by flight attendants. KWAM 1 insisted it was medication.
The situation escalated, leading to his removal from the aircraft.
In a counter-statement same day, KWAM 1’s media aide, Kunle Rasheed, said the allegations were exaggerated. He denied that the singer endangered any lives or blocked the aircraft, claiming the bottle contained only water given to him at the airport lounge.
Rasheed also alleged that officials from FAAN, NCAA, and ValueJet later apologised and offered to fly KWAM 1 to Lagos in a private jet, which the singer declined. He maintained that KWAM 1 was, in fact, the victim in the entire episode.
The NCAA is continuing its investigation into the matter.
