Naira Marley, controversial Nigerian singer, has fired back at Executive Jets Services Limited, an aviation company, for calling him and other members of his team “a bunch of useless people”.
The airline had come under intense criticism for flying the singer to Abuja for a recent event, despite the increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.
Due to the backlash that trailed the event on social media, the federal capital territory administration (FCTA) sealed off the Jabi Lake mall, for violating restrictions to prevent the spread of the dreaded pandemic.
However, in an apology addressed to Hadi Sirika, minister for aviation, on Monday, Sam Iwu, the company’s chief executive officer, described the incident as a mix-up.
“When I went through the manifest and I saw FASHOLA BABATUNDE I thought it was the Honorable Minister of Works going to Abuja with his men, so we decided to do the flight since it is a serving Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I didn’t know it was a bunch of useless people,” Executive Jet’s CEO, Sam Iwuajoku wrote.
Naira Marley blows hot
Reacting to the statement in a post on his Twitter page, Naira Marley launched the #NobodyIsUseless hashtag, while describing the statement by the company as “arrogant and silly.”
The statement reads: “The cost of living working-class/middle-class is too high. The fact that the Almighty has blessed you shouldn’t make u 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. #NobodyIsUseless.
Marley further lampooned the aviation company for calling him and his team of “20,000 Marlians” a bunch of “useless people”.
The ‘Soapy’ crooner went on to vow that he would not be using the services of the company anymore, adding that they nearly had a crash while aboard the flight.
“Do you know that over 20,000 Marlians travel with Executive Jet a month. We won’t be using your useless airline again for calling us useless,” he wrote on Twitter.