‎KWAM1 apologises for ValueJet incident, denies carrying alcohol

King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal the first (Kwam 1), the Nigerian musician who was involved in the ValueJet runway crisis on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 has apologised.
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‎The Fuji musician apologised, clarifying that the flask he held on the runway contained water not alcohol.
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‎He said: “The incident that occurred at the local wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on August 5, 2025, involving my humble self and ValueJet Airline was, to say the least, unfortunate.

Read also: ValueJet incident: NCAA to blacklist KWAM 1 for unruly behavior
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‎‎“Unknown to many, I suffer from chronic dehydration, and my doctor strongly advised that I remain constantly hydrated. This is why I always carry a water flask with me. And contrary to the negative narrative being circulated in some quarters, the flask I carried on that particular day contained only water, not alcohol, as wrongly alleged.

‎‎“For the record, I passed through two security screenings with the flask empty. The flask was only filled with water at the lounge area, just before heading to the tarmac. This fact can be verified by the CCTV footage at the airport lounge. More so, I hadn’t even boarded the plane, let alone been deboarded.
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‎“However, I acknowledge and deeply regret the concerns that arose from the incident. It was never my intention to cause any disruption or violate aviation protocols in any way.”
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‎He reiterated his patriotism and unshaken loyalty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria have never been in doubt.

“Over the years, I have consistently used my God-given talent and platform to promote the Nigerian brand across the globe. I would never do anything to tarnish the image I’ve built over the past five decades, nor would I knowingly act in a way that could diminish the reputation of the country I love so dearly.
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‎“That said, the incident is sincerely regretted. I remain committed to upholding the values and responsibilities that come with being a global ambassador of Nigerian music and culture.
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‎“To the Presidency, Ministry of Aviation, FAAN, NCAA, ValueJet, fellow Nigerians, and my teeming fans across the world who have shown great concern since the incident happened, I tender my unreserved and heartfelt apology,” he said.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.