Ex-TUC President Criticizes K1 De Ultimate’s Airport Incident: “A Nation Where Power Means No Consequences”
Peter Esele, the former president of Nigeria’s Trade Union Congress (TUC), has harshly denounced Fuji music legend Wasiu Ayinde, better known by his stage name K1 De Ultimate, for the recent incident in which he allegedly disregarded airport rules.
According to Esele, K1’s actions were inappropriate for a well-known performer and public personality.
Esele responded to the incident, which has since gone viral, by saying that K1’s behavior was a reflection of a larger social problem.
He emphasized that such lawlessness has repercussions that go beyond personal slights and are a metaphor for the greater national issue of people being shielded from responsibility by those in positions of authority.
Esele said of the country’s culture of impunity, “It is a metaphor for a nation where power exempts one from consequence.”
The incident at the airport’s background
The incident took place on ValueJet Airlines flight VK 201 from Abuja to Lagos, when it was noted that K1 De Ultimate was denied entry after trying to bring a flask with more liquid than the allowed 100ml limit.
K1 allegedly refused to abide by the airline’s security rules in spite of numerous demands.
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K1 was seen trying to stop the plane from taxiing by standing in front of it in a widely shared video of the incident.
The airline claims that when K1 allegedly opened the flask and spilled its contents on Captain Oluranti Ogoyi and other passengers in the vicinity, his disregard for the regulations intensified.
Esele Criticizes Law Enforcement’s Selective Approach
“Aviation laws are clear; liquids over 100ml are prohibited unless medically necessary and declared,” Esele responded, criticizing Nigeria’s selective enforcement culture. However, enforcement gives in to pressure.
He pointed out the disrespect for laws that apply to regular people and compared this selective justice to larger societal issues.
“The culture of impunity is top-down, from government officials using sirens to intimidate their way through traffic to careless drivers ignoring zebra crossings,” he continued.
“Is this the legacy we want to leave?” Esele questioned, criticizing the lack of accountability. Should justice be replaced by apologies? What occurs if only the weak are subject to the law?
The activist called for Nigerians to improve the country’s civic education system and make better demands.
“We need to rebuild civic education, give institutions the freedom to act without fear or favor, and demand that everyone be treated equally by the law,” he stated.
Additionally, he emphasized the significance of adhering to laws and regulations, saying that everyone, regardless of status, must be held responsible for their acts in order for society to work.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has banned K1 from travel indefinitely in reaction to the incident Esele reacted to. This restriction will last until the inquiry into the flight incident is finished.
According to reports, on August 7, Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, ordered the NCAA to put K1 on a six-month no-fly list while the full investigation was conducted.
Esele, however, has voiced shock that K1’s actions have not resulted in immediate legal repercussions, drawing a comparison between the treatment of a normal person and the current state of affairs.
This kind of behavior would have immediate legal repercussions in a normal society. “In ours, it prompted a tepid apology, probably because cameras were rolling,” he said, implying that K1 probably wouldn’t have been held accountable if it hadn’t garnered public attention.
