Afrobeat singer, David Adedeji Adeleke, also known as Davido, on Monday, July 6, explained why he used his outfit during his performance at the opening concert of the 2026 FIFA World Cup countdown series to spotlight Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis.
He added that it was inspired by the recent abduction of students in Oyo State.
The singer wore a black jacket with 46 green lapels bearing the names of 39 pupils and seven teachers who were recently kidnapped in Oyo state.
The back of the jacket featured the inscription ‘Bring them home’ as a public appeal for their release.
While the outfit drew praise from some quarters, it also sparked backlash, including criticism from Kano-based singer Dauda Kahutu, also known as Rararara.
Rarara argued that publicizing the kidnapping internationally could hinder ongoing efforts by security agencies to secure the victims’ freedom.
Davido responded to the criticism, saying that many influential people avoid speaking about Nigeria’s challenges out of a desire to protect the country’s image.
The ‘Aye’ hitmaker explained that he used his platform to draw international attention to the situation, noting that his influence lies in his music and performances.
“A lot of people do not want to talk about what goes on in my country simply because they want to protect the image of the country. There is no image to protect if little kids are being kidnapped,” he said.
“As much as I was happy to do the World Cup, we also have to understand that there are things going on back home in our country, which we have the power to let the world know through our own means.
“When I say our own means, where is my power? My power is in music, performances.
“We have the students who have been missing, still not found. So I use my platform to project what is really going on.”
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