Fuji music icon Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate, has tendered an apology over the incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, which led to a temporary flight ban imposed on him.
The controversy began on August 5 when the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) accused the 68-year-old singer of attempting to board a ValueJet Airlines flight to Lagos with an “unidentified liquid substance.”
FAAN alleged that K1 ignored directives from aviation security (AVSEC) and the flight captain, even spilling the substance on personnel during an inspection of his flask.
Reports later indicated that his alleged “disorderly conduct” resulted in the suspension of two ValueJet pilots.
However, Kwam 1 refuted the alcohol claims, insisting that the flask contained only “plain drinking water” from the airport lounge, not alcohol.
At a press briefing on Friday, he expressed regret over the incident, calling it “unfortunate” and explaining that he carries water at all times due to a medical condition causing chronic dehydration.
“Contrary to the misleading reports, the flask had nothing but water,” he insisted.
In response, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo issued a stern warning, stating that any airline violating the six-month no-fly ban imposed on Kwam 1 by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) risks losing its operating licence.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
