• Artiste fires back, enjoins fans to boycott airline
By Muhammed Saheed
Chairman, Executive Jet, Mr Sam Iwuajoku has apologised to the Federal Government for ferrying popular hip-hop artiste, Azeez Fashola (Naira Marley) and his crew in flagrant disobedience to the lockdown order, saying they were unaware that they were “useless people”.
Sam noted that the company thought it was Minister for Works, Babatunde Fashola that had come to patronise them since a similar name appeared in the list. The Ravens would later learn that the name (Babatunde Fashola) belongs to the musician’s brother.
Ever since this comment was made, the social media has been set ablaze as Naira Marley threw different salvos at Sam and the Executive Jet, leading to a heated exchange of uncouth words.
The airline had flown Naira Marley and his team to Abuja, where they performed at a concert in violation of the COVID-19 guidelines.
As a reaction, the airline has been suspended indefinitely by the Federal Government for violating the flight approval it received from the Ministry of Aviation, as fines were imposed on the pilot.
An apology letter signed by the Chairman reads, “Please, the flight was to carry (sic) a judge to Abuja on Sunday, 14th of June, 2020, as requested and the permit was granted based on the application, but unfortunately, when I called the judge on Saturday morning to inform him that we have (sic) the permit, he then said he has (sic) reached (sic) Abuja already with (sic) a different flight that someone gave him a lift (sic) to Abuja.
“So, on Saturday morning, 13 th June 2020, my staff called me that they have (sic) a charter flight to Abuja and that the passengers are (sic) already in the lounge. As a rule, passenger manifests are always sent to me before departure.
“When I went through the manifest and saw Babatunde Fashola, I thought it was the honourable Minister of Works (and Housing) going to Abuja with his men. So, we decided to do ( sic ) the flight since he is a serving minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I didn’t know that it was a bunch of useless people.”
In his reaction in a tweet, Naira Marley vowed not to use the airline again, as he enjoined his supporters to also boycott it.
“Do you know that over 20,000 Marlians travel with executive jets a month? We won’t be using your useless airline again for calling us useless. Thank God we didn’t crash on that flight sha because we nearly did. BTW We didn’t book the flight ourselves.
“The cost of living working – class/middle – class is too high. The fact that the Almighty has blessed you, shouldn’t make you look down on anyone Mr executive jet calling us useless is not only defamation but oppressive. The statement by the CEO is arrogant and silly”, he tweeted.
