The President of Freelance and Independent Broadcasters’ Association of Nigerian (FIBAN), Com. Desmond Abiodun Nwachukwu has opened up for the first time on why his association celebrated Fuji music legend, King Wasiu Ayinde Anifowoshe Marshal better known as K1 a year after the Fuji singer purportedly assaulted one of FIBAN members in the person of Chief Moruf Akanbi Sorunke popularly known as MC Murphy at an event in Itori, a suburb of Ogun State. The articulate FIBAN President also addressed all the allegations levelled against his association by a section of the public as a result of FIBAN newly found affinity to a personality like K1. He spoke exclusively to SAHEED OJUBANIRE at his office in Abeokuta, Ogun State, recently, and it is a no-holds-barred interview. Enjoy it:
Who is Desmond Nwachukwu?
Desmond Nwachukwu is currently serving as the National President of the Freelance and Independent Broadcasters’ Association of Nigeria (FIBAN).
At a point in time, there was an issue K1, which led to you issuing a directive to your members to stay away from anything that had to do with K1. But then, your association celebrated him towards the end of November 2021. Can you take us through what happened in-between times?
Well, that issue you just talked about I see it as more of a test of my leadership ability. And also, it was a way of discharging the core responsibility of FIBAN to stand with the members of the association at all times. I recall quite vividly that there was a face-off between one of our strong members in the person of Wole Sorunke otherwise known as MC Murphy and K1; it happened on October 1st, 2020. It was the occasion of the 60th birthday of Olu Itori, Oba Fatai Akamo. And it was a face-off where MC Murphy was assaulted. He was thoroughly beaten at that event right in the presence of the guests in the hall while K1 De Ultimate was on the bandstand. That incident didn’t go down well with us because, personally, I felt it was uncalled for, and it was the height of embarrassment and insult. And our association took its position, and the position was that even beyond MC Murphy that was beaten, that there was the need for us to rise for the sanctity of our industry so it won’t get to a point where every journalist, every broadcaster, would be beaten up at will by anybody; any musician or any individual, as it were, over trumped-up issues. So, we took it up. Yes, the beating of MC Murphy was not done directly by K1 which I must acknowledge that fact, but those who assaulted MC Murphy were K1’s boys and in his presence. So, we felt he had to take responsibility for it. And that was exactly what happened. It was a tough one, no doubt because, in situations like that you have some of our members who are close to K1 who has been relating closely with K1 for a long while, you know for years, but you know that the position of the association would always supersede other individual interests. So, that was it. We went into it and I remember that it was rough and tough because, whether you like it or not, K1 is a big brand. He is someone God has really blessed in all ramifications. So, going into, if you like, a war with him, you should know it’s going to take a whole lot from you. But for me, I swore an oath to protect the interest of my members and so, even when it threatened my life as an individual, I would always go for it…
(Cuts in) Are you saying this particular matter threatened your life or you are talking generally?
No, no, no, I’m saying generally. But yes, it wasn’t an easy one. Because we had people, even those that K1 didn’t even send or even know; you know he has fans who are so in love with him, and they can go to any extent for him. Yes, there were threats. Yes, there were all sorts of strange calls and all that, but fortunately, some of us have been in unionism over time and so when such threats come it doesn’t really bother us. And I recall that basically, what I did at that point in time was to tell the security agencies in Abeokuta where my family reside to please provide protection for my family. So, I felt that if I have to pay any price, I was the one who came out to campaign to be President of FIBAN, so if in the course of carrying out my responsibility anything comes up, I should be ready to take it up. So, that was it. But, the long and short of it is that we had our differences on principles. I never had anything personal against K1, okay? But, I had to do my job as the President of the association.
So, how did you finally settle with K1?
Well, when it was time for us to settle, we had many well-meaning individuals who came on board to mediate between the association and K1.
Can you recall who in particular led the reconciliation process?
You see, at that point in time, I must confess that there were so many interventions from different quarters. You know, from the traditional institutions, from the Senate; a whole lot of people reached out to me, no doubt. Even many of whom K1 would not even know reached out to me. But I know that one man who I must commend very sincerely, first for his intervention, secondly, for his level of maturity and his ability to take hold of the situation because it wasn’t easy getting involved in such matter, that man is Mayor Akinpelu. Mayor Akinpelu, you know, was the man who made a lot of difference as far as I’m concerned. And personally, I have always had respect for Mayor Akinpelu. So, for him to now call me on this matter, I had to begin to listen. Dele Odule is one man who also likes K1 with a passion. He reached out to me. Hon. Biodun Akinlade; was a three-time member of the Federal House of Representatives; he also reached out to me and a number of other people who would not want me to mention their names. But like I told you, people called even from quarters that you cannot imagine. And there is a number of highly revered traditional rulers in the South West whom their palace reached out to me too. And at that point in time, you don’t have a choice but to begin to consider your position and begin to speak to your members. And I’m so privileged to have members who have respect for me, who listen to me, and who believe in my position on any issue. It wasn’t difficult really, to begin to talk to them and let them see things from the angle of having to reconcile. And more importantly, for every struggle, there must be a clear cut exit point. And so, when we got to that exit point, we had to do it. Of course, we gave our terms and conditions. I told Mayor Akinpelu that there is a retraction that must be made and K1 should be disassociated from some of these things. And I requested that it should be made public. And in no time, that was done. You know Mayor Akinpelu is a Doyen in the media industry, so the next day, the retraction was splashed practically on all national dailies. So, at that level, you don’t have a choice but to begin to listen. And that was the basis on which I reached out to my members to say look, this man has actually met the first condition. And then we moved on to fixing a meeting to discuss the issue. But at that point in time, that was my first time of getting to see K1 closely.
Do you mean at the reconciliation meeting?
Yes, at the reconciliation meeting. That was my first time getting to see him closely.
Where did the meeting take place?
Well, we insisted that the meeting should take place at the palace of the Olu of Itori because that was where the whole issue started. And more so, MC Murphy is a Chief in Itori. He is the Aare Amuludun of Itori. So, we felt we should go back to Itori Kingdom to talk about the matter. And that reconciliation meeting gave me the opportunity of seeing K1 closely and get to observe a few things about him. That was the first moment I saw how cerebral K1 is. K1 is highly, highly gifted. And at that point, for him to humble himself to the extent of saying that it would not happen again around him. It caught my fancy. And I took it straight to heart. And I started to monitor him. The truth is, there is hardly anywhere K1 would perform that there won’t be one or two of my numbers present there. Not in this country. So, I started getting feedback that unlike before that incident when the allegations included the fact that you could not walk on to K1’s stage to do MC, you would be beaten, you would be molested and all of that; I got the feedback that everything had changed. And from that moment up to November 30th, 2021, when we had an event tagged: “K1 Time Out With Broadcasters”, there was no scandal around K1 as far as it affects my members.
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