Nigerian authorities have placed celebrated fuji singer King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, on a no-fly list after he blocked an aircraft from taking off during a dramatic incident at Abuja’s airport on Tuesday.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said the 67-year-old musician stood on the tarmac to prevent a ValueJet flight bound for Lagos from taxiing, following a dispute with airport security.
According to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the altercation began during boarding when officials told Marshal he could not bring his flask onto the plane. FAAN spokeswoman Obiageli Orah said the singer refused to comply and spilled the flask’s contents, later identified as alcohol, on an officer.
Videos circulating on social media, including one shared by Keyamo, show the singer standing in front of the moving aircraft and crouching to avoid its wings.
Keyamo described the confrontation as “a temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides,” warning that the situation could have led to “serious fatalities.” The minister confirmed that, in addition to the singer’s travel ban, the aircraft’s captain and pilot have had their licences suspended pending investigation.
KWAM 1 is one of Nigeria’s most influential fuji musicians, especially popular in the southwest among the Yoruba ethnic group. A vocal supporter of President Bola Tinubu, he has performed at numerous All Progressives Congress rallies and headlined the presidential inaugural ball in May 2023.
Written By Rodney Mbua
