Basirat Marshal, daughter of Fuji music icon Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, known as Kwam 1, has responded to allegations that her father breached aviation regulations and disrupted airline operations.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) accused the 68-year-old musician of committing the offence while boarding a ValueJet Airlines morning flight (Flight VK 201) bound for Lagos.
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In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Obiageli Orah, FAAN, alleged that Kwam 1, a close associate of President Bola Tinubu, brought an alcoholic beverage aboard the commercial flight in contravention of aviation rules.
The incident sparked widespread controversy.
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The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) consequently blacklisted the musician for six months, while the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, maintained that Kwam 1 must be punished.
Mr Keyamo described the musician’s conduct as “unacceptable”, stating that the altercation represented “a temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides.”
He warned that such behaviour could have led to a tragic outcome.
Reacting to the development, Damilola, who serves as the Senior Special Assistant on Tourism to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, posted a statement on her Instagram page on Thursday, accusing FAAN and the NCAA of making false claims.
She said: “I don’t know why a reputable agency would lie that water is alcohol, I don’t know when K1 became a magician who turns water into alcohol.
“With the same flask, all of a sudden, everyone is pretending as if they don’t know he carries his water in his flask everywhere.”
Backstory
Earlier, this newspaper reported that Kwam 1, through a statement issued by his spokesperson, Kunle Rasheed, clarified that the flask contained only water, not alcohol, contrary to the flight attendant’s claim.
He dismissed the allegations as exaggerated and misleading, noting that he was, in fact, the victim in the incident, a narrative at odds with accounts provided by FAAN and those circulating the rumour.
He further stated that claims suggesting he blocked the aircraft or attempted to disrupt flight operations were entirely unfounded.
READ ALSO: KWAM 1: Aviation experts flay airport officials over breach of regulations
According to him, FAAN, NCAA, and the airline’s Chairman and Managing Director subsequently issued an apology after realising their error.
He said they also arranged a private jet to convey him to Lagos.
However, the musician disclosed that he declined the offer despite persistent pleas from the airline’s top executives.
This newspaper also reported that the incident led the NCAA to suspend two ValueJet pilots, Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and First Officer Ivan Oloba.
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