The Ibom Air furore

The government waded in undoubtedly more concerned with bringing about understanding and reconciliation between the feuding parties. This is borne out of Keyamo’s review of the incident and his conclusion that both sides had their shortcomings.

The whole problem arose when Emmason declined to heed the customary, basic and universal safety protocol for all air passengers to switch off electronic devices, chief among which is telephone. This was before the airliner’s take off from Uyo. Flight officers say electronic gadgets interfere with navigational and communication systems in the aircraft. Emmason said she could not switch off her phone, which was of the sophisticated iPhone model because it had issues. It took a man seated by her following apprehension by other passengers within ear shot to collect the phone from her and switch it off.

But this was not until there had been altercations between her and an air hostess and the pilot intervened. The first air hostess that met her did not succeed in getting her to shut down the phone in line with the accustomed aviation safety procedures. A presumably more senior one then approached her, and an argument ensued. Calm was restored after the intervention of the pilot. But the worst was to come, this time upon the airliner landing in Lagos.

In a conflict of this nature, there will be many versions of what happened and who did what. Everyone would look at the matter according to his own light and capacity to weigh and examine to be able to objectively separate the wheat from the chaff. An account, for example, said when the flight touched down in Lagos, Emmason first went to the convenience before disembarking the aircraft. This raised suspicion among some passengers that she might be up to something.

Their suspicion was soon to be proven right as she turned out to be the last passenger to disembark. It was alleged that, on her way out, she headed for the cabin where she tore off the wig and the pair of glasses from the hostess with whom she had altercations and threw the glasses on the floor. She gave her many slaps and used her shoe to hit her. In the unruly conduct, she also slapped some other crew member who attempted to intervene. Indeed, the airline said she made for the fire extinguisher to use it to cause damage to the aircraft and ground it. She assaulted the purser who prevented her from alighting from the aircraft; she had earlier stepped on a passenger. It then became necessary to forcibly remove her from the aircraft.

This led to a struggle with the airline’s security, who attempted to deboard her. She was brought out of the aircraft eventually and dragged on the ground. In the process her blouse was torn. Security was called in and after being handed over to the police, she was taken to the Magistrate’s court that ordered that she be remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

Another account states that Emmason was not rude. She was calm when she was approached. She said her phone was on a flight mode. A co-passenger blamed the whole incident on an air hostess whom he said was power drunk. And contrary to the version in the foregoing, it was the air hostess, raising her voice who took the phone from her and smashed it on the floor and describing Emmason as useless, uttering: “All these useless children, all these people who have no respect. Do I look like your mate”?

When Emmason attempted to come out of the plane, she was blocked, indeed, pushed away by the purser. The arrival of Federal Aviation Authority Agency (FAAN) security was being awaited. When they came she assaulted them too, slapping the ground supervisor.

The government may have hastily intervened in the fray. The intervention, however, should not stop Ibom Air from heeding the directive of National Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to do the needful, a thorough investigation into the incident. The nation must get to the bottom of the matter. Did the confusion have to do with the psychological challenge of anybody to recognize the implications of their conduct? The findings of the investigations should be made public. It is a matter that should have been allowed to be tried in court. The truth of the incident would then have come out and the consequences would have served as a deterrence to future occurrences for passengers as well as to an airline operator. Because the lady was dragged on the ground and she had her clothes torn, she naturally triggered public sympathy and support swaying to her side. That the disgraceful treatment meted out to her evoked overwhelming disapproval and disgust evinces our respect for womanhood, which is how it should be. Women should be regarded as special, as treasure in all human communities.

However, there are unanswered questions to form the basis for my preliminary comments. If the young lady’s phone had issues such that she could not shut it down, why did she carry it with her into the aircraft? After all, there is hardly anyone of her apparent status who is not boasting of two phones. The man seated by her side had to take it from her to switch off. If the phone could be used to edit videos, it meant it was operational and could receive and transmit radiations capable of interfering with navigational and communication systems. If she had adhered to standard and universal air travel procedures, would any air hostess have picked on her out of nearly 150 passengers on board to enforce aviation rules?

Predictably she enjoyed the benefit of what could be called the underdog, “small man and big man persecution” syndrome — the big man being the Ibom Air. No one is bothered about the safety of nearly 150 or so other passengers should the stubborn breach of flight protocols lead to the aircraft losing height and crashing, killing all on board. Is it being suggested that the convenience of one passenger undergirded by a flimsy excuse of a malfunctioning phone to the detriment of other travellers is more important than the safety of so many people on the flight? Here was a flight of barely one hour, why would simple protocol not be heeded for the good of all. How would you evacuate a passenger who is capable of causing harm not only to the crew and the aircraft if not forcibly?

At all times, aviation rules must be firmly enforced to engender confidence in flights. Note should be taken of the proclivity of youths, male and female to punch away on their phones as soon as they enter an aircraft. They may switch off when the announcement is made to do so but as soon as the hostess going round to check on compliance turns her back, they reopen their phones. There have been occasions some other apprehensive passengers have been observed to take up defiant youths, scold and educate them. We are in the age of enchanting technological wonders, no doubt, and the use of cell phones can pass for an addiction in these times because of their multi-tasked deployment even when the eventual effects of their radiations on the users are yet conclusive; but rules are rules. Ibom Air must not shrink from enforcing all flight protocols.

A thorough investigation into the Sunday Uyo-Lagos flight as demanded by the NCAA is good for the Akwa Ibom State airline. It is a leading airline. Hardly are its flights delayed or capriciously cancelled. Its flights take off on schedule. It has proven it has a lot of promise for the country.

The Uyo-Lagos flight incident has, however, exposed yet our penchant to expose our fault lines. The misconduct at Abuja Airport involving renowned artiste Wasiu Ayinde and the incident involving Emmason at Lagos Airport are being given ethnic colouration. It is claimed that while Miss Emmason was promptly arraigned for trial for an unruly conduct in Ibom Air flight to Lagos, Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde who attempted to hinder a flight from out of Abuja was merely given a slap on the wrist and let go after a public apology.

Ayinde (also known as K1 De Ultimate) was banned from taking flights for only six months. His conduct was appalling. He assailed the ValueJet officials, particularly the lady pilot. He was remorseful after the deed and promptly apologised. Whether the apology was enough to assuage hurt and feelings is a different matter and it is arguable. It is a matter for NCAA and FAAN to decide. It came before the incident in Uyo and Lagos. Ibom Air and NOA may have thought such conduct by passengers was getting out of hand and it required severity to put it in check.

And come to think of it, the police high command said it received an official petition from the NCAA accusing Wasiu Ayinde Marshal of engaging in unruly conduct that obstructed the safe operation of an aircraft at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja. The police said it had begun a thorough investigation into the incident and gave the assurance of collaboration with stakeholders to ensure strict compliance with aviation laws. This means that despite Ayinde’s apology the matter is not closed. But what is being insinuated by some politicians is that l Keyamo or his boss, Bola Tinubu must have directed differential handling of the two occurrences in Abuja and Lagos! The two airliners are owned by Akwa Ibom State. There is no limit to the depth of filth the magic year 2027 will not drive our political gladiators!

Dress code for undergraduates 

Obafemi Awolowo University has joined a host of other universities such as Ahmadu Bello University, Admiralty University, University of Lagos and some polytechnics in drawing up a dress code for its students. Hair plaiting and braiding by male students or see-through blouses, or low and inappropriate neckline for females, for example, are banned on the campus. The students without knowing it are being saved from inconceivable bitter spiritual consequences now and in the future. Dresses that do not give dignity to either gender will drag down. The conduct will avenge itself most bitterly even beyond an earth life.

The matter will be fully discussed next week.

First published in The Guardian, 15 August 2025