When Dignity Takes Flight: The Ibom Air Scandal That Shook Nigeria
By Mogaji Wole Arisekola
It is easy to follow the crowd. It is harder to stand back, watch closely, and tell the truth — even when it is uncomfortable.
A few hours ago, I stumbled upon a viral video that left me both angry and deeply unsettled. In that clip, Ms. Emmanson, a passenger aboard Ibom Air, was stripped naked — not by armed robbers, not by street thugs — but by the airline’s own hostesses.
Let me be clear: Ms. Emmanson was wrong. Very wrong. No excuse. No sugar-coating. Her conduct fell far short of what is expected from a passenger on any flight.
But here’s where the story takes a darker turn. On closer examination of the video, it became obvious to me that the air hostesses deliberately yanked off her clothing after noticing she was not wearing a bra in revenge to what she did to them. That moment — shocking, deliberate, and degrading — transformed an already messy situation into a full-blown scandal.
And let us not mince words: that is a criminal offence.
As a people, we must condemn such barbaric behavior from those entrusted with the care and safety of passengers. Every staff member, whether in aviation, banking, or the marketplace, must be trained to handle even the most difficult customers with professionalism. The old saying, “The customer is always right,” may not mean the customer is never wrong — but it certainly means the service provider must never become the aggressor.
Sadly, what we saw was not discipline, but degradation. Not conflict resolution, but public humiliation. That is unacceptable — in any setting, under any circumstances.
Yes, Ms. Emmanson erred, and a simple apology from her could have ended the matter. But when wrong meets wrong, no one comes out looking right. Ibom Air must take responsibility for the actions of its staff, and Nigerians must raise their voices to ensure such shameful scenes never repeat themselves.
In a country struggling to uphold dignity, we cannot afford to tear one another down in the public square. We must learn the power of restraint — especially under intense provocation.
The sky is meant for flight, not for stripping peo
