Kwam 1 brings peace between rival transport union leaders, MC Oluomo and Tafa Sego

Fuji music star Wasiu "Kwam 1" Ayinde has helped settle issues between rival transport union leaders Musiliu "MC Oluomo" Akinsanya and Mustapha "Tafa Sego" Adekunle after years of conflict between their groups.

The peace meeting happened on Tuesday at Ojusagbola in Ijebu, Ogun State, with many transport union leaders present.

During the meeting, MC Oluomo and Tafa Sego shared their complaints before shaking hands and hugging each other. They promised that their reconciliation would finally end their long-standing disagreements.

Kwam 1’s media aide, Kunle Rasheed, confirmed this in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES. He said the public meeting was the result of private talks Kwam 1 had with both men earlier.

Photos from the reconciliation were later shared on the musician’s Instagram page.

In a statement from his media aide, Kwam 1 explained that the peace deal did not happen overnight, despite what the public meeting might suggest.

"Both of them were spoken to separately, which was not made public. I believe in resolving issues quietly, so I didn’t want to make a public affair out of it. Now that both of them have been spoken to separately, today was chosen by me to bury the hatchet finally," the musician said.

Kwam 1 noted that his relationship with both men and being the head of Team Lagos helped him step in. But he also said that ending a disagreement that lasted years needed more than just asking them to forget their issues.

"Being the head of Team Lagos, which has both of them as members, it wasn’t difficult at all. But naturally, it wasn’t something you could achieve by saying, ‘Forget everything and make peace.’

"When they’ve had disagreements for a long time, there are emotions and history involved. But I reminded them that there was really nothing to gain from allowing the disagreement to continue," he said.

Mr Rasheed mentioned that both MC Oluomo and Tafa Sego respected Kwam 1 and listened to his call for peace. He said the musician felt the bond between the two leaders was stronger than their differences.

Kwam 1 became more worried when the disagreement started creating issues that went beyond the two men.

"I became more concerned when I realised that something that could have been resolved between two individuals had gone on for too long and was beginning to create unnecessary tension around them.

"At that point, I felt that people like us, who have relationships with both sides, should not simply stand by and watch it continue," he said.

Mr Rasheed added that senior members of Team Lagos, which he said has now become Team Nigeria, were at the meeting too.

"There were many other people around. Virtually all the top-ranking members of Team Lagos, who have now metamorphosed into Team Nigeria, were there.

"When they arrived, there was no tension at all. They greeted each other well, and nothing extraordinary happened. They appeared cool with each other," he said.

He added that the friendly atmosphere allowed both men to talk openly, listen, and address their issues.

"The atmosphere was warm, which allowed good conversation. And then came the moment everybody had been hoping for: they shook hands, embraced and made peace, with a promise that this was final. I believe they ultimately chose to let go," Mr Rasheed said.

MC Oluomo and Tafa Sego were once friends in the Lagos chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, but things changed due to fights over leadership and influence.

One of the most violent events happened in January 2019 during an All Progressives Congress campaign rally at the Sky Power Ground in Ikeja, Lagos.

A clash between rival groups disrupted the rally, and MC Oluomo was stabbed and taken to the hospital.

The Lagos State Police later declared Tafa Sego wanted for the violence. He denied any involvement in the attack and said he had no link to MC Oluomo’s stabbing.

Despite their rivalry, both men served in the same Lagos NURTW executive years later. In November 2023, MC Oluomo was re-elected as Lagos chairman, while Tafa Sego became treasurer.

MC Oluomo stepped down from Lagos leadership in 2024 to aim for the NURTW national presidency. Tafa Sego was elected chairman of the Lagos chapter in November 2024.

MC Oluomo’s claim to the national presidency is still contested. A faction of the union elected him, but court rulings confirmed Tajudeen Baruwa as NURTW president. MC Oluomo insists he is still the union’s leader.

There were no major public fights between the groups for a while, but tensions came back during Kwam 1’s New Year All White Party in Lagos on January 2.

Footage from the event showed a group thought to be linked to Tafa Sego reacting when Kwam 1 called MC Oluomo the NURTW leader.

The reaction caused a stir at the venue and made the musician plead for unity among the rival transport union leaders.

Tuesday’s peace meeting followed appeals and private talks with both men. But at the time of this report, neither MC Oluomo nor Tafa Sego had said if their personal peace would also fix the wider factional and leadership issues involving their supporters.