KWAM 1, Crisis Communication, and the Perils of Public Indiscipline

Editor’s note: In this piece, Dr. Toks Oguntuga looks at Kwam 1’s airport incident and the fallout it triggered. It’s a sharp take on how public figures become their own worst headlines when fame and bad decisions collide in full public view.

Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as K1 de Ultimate, is once again in the headlines and, as has sadly become routine, not for any laudable reason. Known more these days for his string of controversies than his once-celebrated musical genius, the Fuji maestro has cultivated a public persona entangled in personal drama, public spats, and unbecoming spectacles. If he isn’t deriding Muslim clerics or embroiled in intra-industry feuds, it is the bloggers’ circuit that plays host to yet another of his nuptial escapades. In reputation terms, Kwam 1 has squandered the social capital that once accompanied his name.

The latest debacle, however, descends to an astonishing new low. In a moment that beggared belief, the artist was filmed attempting to stop a commercial aircraft from taking off at Abuja Airport, an act reportedly triggered by his being barred from boarding due to possession of a prohibited liquid substance. The footage, now widely circulated, has generated competing narratives, but one truth remains unshaken: no explanation justifies such a display of public misconduct, particularly from someone draped in multiple chieftaincy titles, including the prestigious Olori Omo’Oba of Ijebuland.

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This is where the conversation must shift from mere celebrity gossip to a sobering lesson in crisis and reputation management.

“It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it,” Warren Buffett once warned, and Kwam 1, by now a repeat offender in reputational self-harm, seems determined to test this principle with relentless gusto.

The legacy of the late Chief Subomi Balogun, who previously held the Olori Omo’Oba title with distinction, dignity, and discernment, only magnifies the chasm between expectation and reality. One embodied gravitas; the other has, regrettably, weaponised notoriety.

Rather than offering a well-measured public apology, a poor attempt at image-laundering was made through a hastily cobbled press release by his media aide, one Kunle Rasheed. The release audaciously denied any wrongdoing, stating that:

“Claims that K1 blocked the aircraft or attempted to disrupt operations are completely unfounded. The veteran artiste, who is globally respected and frequently travels both locally and internationally, understands and strictly adheres to aviation protocols.”

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This, in the face of d@mn!ng video evidence only exacerbates the fallout. In crisis communication, choosing the right strategy is pivotal. Timothy Coombs’ Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) clearly posits that where responsibility is high and damage is evident, apology, not denial, is the most effective path to reputational recovery.

Artists, especially those straddling the fraught divide between celebrity and political patronage, must recognise that public blunders are never isolated incidents. For someone like Kwam 1, an artist tethered to Nigeria’s highest political office and bearing a title steeped in cultural reverence, every misstep reverberates far beyond the individual. His conduct reflects on the institutions he represents, the traditions he embodies, and the corridors of power that he frequents. As the African proverb goes,

“When the drummer changes the beat, the dancer must change the steps.”

Without the benefit of strategic communication guidance, his legacy risks devolving into a public parable of squandered honour and unmastered restraint.

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In the digital age, where virality outpaces veracity, a misstep unaddressed becomes a narrative carved in stone. Kwam 1 must now learn what every public figure must eventually face: A damaged reputation can be the most difficult and costly risk to repair or reverse. One more incident like this, and no press release, however “robust”, will be able to salvage what’s left of the little reputational capital he still clings to.

'Toks Oguntuga is a seasoned academic researcher, strategic communication expert, political analyst, and speechwriter with a PhD in Presidential Crisis Rhetoric and over a decade of experience in high-stakes political and communication environments.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Legit.ng.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng