Image of Wasiu Ayinde

Former President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Peter Esele, has condemned Fuji legend Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate, over his alleged refusal to comply with airport security regulations, describing the act as unbecoming of a respected celebrity.

Esele’s reaction follows a viral video showing the musician standing in front of an aircraft and allegedly attempting to block the plane from taxiing. According to ValueJet Airlines, K1 was barred from boarding flight VK 201 from Abuja to Lagos after insisting on carrying a flask containing liquid exceeding the permitted 100 ml limit. Despite repeated requests, he allegedly refused to comply, leading to a confrontation in which the flight captain, Oluranti Ogoyi, claimed the musician opened the bottle and poured its contents on her and others nearby.

“Aviation laws are clear: liquids over 100 ml are prohibited unless medically necessary and declared,” Esele said. “Yet enforcement often bends to influence. In Nigeria, ‘Do you know who I am?’ is not a question but a threat. From government officials bullying their way through traffic to reckless drivers ignoring zebra crossings, the culture of impunity is top-down.”

Esele warned that such daily infractions, and the silence of enforcement agencies, erode public values and weaken national cohesion. “Is this the legacy we want to leave? Should apologies replace justice? What happens when laws only apply to the powerless? We must demand better. We must empower institutions to act without fear or favour and insist that the law protect everyone equally.”

He added that in a functional society, K1’s conduct would attract swift legal consequences, but in Nigeria, it prompted “a tepid apology, likely because cameras were rolling. Without the footage, he might have even had the pilot and airline owner arrested.”

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has maintained the travel ban on the musician pending the outcome of an investigation. On August 7, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo directed that K1 be placed on a no-fly list for six months while a full probe is conducted.