Afrobeats superstar Davido has explained why he highlighted Nigeria’s worsening kidnapping crisis during his performance at the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup, saying the safety of citizens is more important than protecting the country’s image.
The singer said he took advantage of the global stage to draw attention to the abduction of schoolchildren and their teachers in Oyo State.
As part of the awareness campaign, Davido wore a custom-made outfit featuring the names of the missing victims, a symbolic gesture intended to draw international attention to the incident and keep the issue in the public spotlight.
Speaking during a recent interview, the award-winning artist criticised what he described as the reluctance of some influential individuals to openly discuss security challenges in Nigeria.
According to him, attempts to protect the nation’s reputation should never come at the expense of speaking out about issues affecting innocent citizens.
“A lot of people do not want to talk about what is happening in my country because they want to protect a lot of images. Which image is there to protect if little children are being kidnapped?” he said, stressing that human lives matter more than public relations.
Davido added that although performing on one of the world’s biggest stages was a privilege, he felt a responsibility to use his voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.
He maintained that artists and public figures should not remain silent in the face of humanitarian and security concerns, especially when vulnerable people are involved. At the time of his remarks, the abducted pupils and their teachers had yet to be found.
