Davido wears jacket bearing names of abducted pupils, teachers in Nigeria for World Cup countdown performance. Credit: X| 5iveAliveWT
Afrobeats superstar, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has called on prominent Hausa singer, Dauda Rarara, to openly speak out against the country’s worsening insecurity, insisting that silence and political bias only deepen national challenges.
The controversy stems from Davido’s appearance at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert in Los Angeles on June 10, where he wore a customised jacket bearing the inscription “Bring Them Home” alongside the names of over 40 schoolchildren and teachers abducted on May 15 in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
In a video posted on his verified Facebook page, Rarara described Davido’s action as “barbaric,” arguing that it risked damaging Nigeria’s international image and alleging that the issue was being politicised.
“I do not usually reply or react to issues like this, but what Davido did was barbaric. In my opinion, Davido and those who share his way of thinking are only behaving foolishly.
“How can you promote Ansaru terrorists or insecurity-related issues to the whole world? How can you take a sensitive national security issue and project it to the world in a way that could damage the country’s image? What exactly do you stand to gain from doing that?
“Davido took the names of abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State, wrote them on the Nigerian flag and displayed it in America. What was the purpose? What did he hope to achieve? Or was it because he had turned the matter into politics?”
Rarara further questioned the intent behind Davido’s move, suggesting it was linked to political interests and warning against the internationalisation of sensitive security matters.
“Is it because his uncle is contesting an election on Accord Party and Tinubu is in APC? Is that why insecurity must become a campaign tool? Anyone who campaigns with insecurity is insane, because he does not fully understand what it entails.
“What Davido did is similar to removing his own mother’s wrapper, taking a photograph of her and travelling to America to display it for the whole world to see, only to ask people to help cover her up again. What kind of thinking is that?
“Insecurity is not something people should casually jump into. There are facts and circumstances that ordinary members of the public may not know. Before speaking on such matters, one should understand the situation properly.
“Did Davido know the reason behind the abduction of those schoolchildren? Some terrorists were arrested. When efforts to secure their release failed, the kingpins kidnapped innocent people in an attempt to force the authorities to negotiate.
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“The President and security agencies had vowed that the terrorists would not be released and that the children would be rescued. It was during this delicate period that Davido chose to embarrass us on a global stage.
“You cannot go to China and promote issues the authorities do not want promoted. The same applies in many other countries. There are limits. But some of our content creators continue to promote narratives that, in my opinion, end up helping terrorists.
“Some content creators do not understand the implications of what they are doing, while others do. Some are sponsored by politicians, while others are simply chasing engagement and followers.”
Reacting on X, Davido quoted Rarara’s post and replied, “Debidooo,” in what appeared to be a mocking reference to the pronunciation of his name.
Rarara responded with the phrase “Kashiga taitayinka,” a derogatory Hausa expression telling the Afrobeat star to come back to his senses.
Davido also fired back, saying, “Da ace kana da ilimi da na tsaya nayi magana dakai. Ama komai baka sani ba, sakarai kawai,” which translates as “If only you had knowledge, I would have stopped to speak with you. But you know nothing, just a fool,” according to a translation of his Hausa response.
In a follow-up statement shared in Hausa and later translated to English, Davido insisted that Nigerians must not remain silent in the face of insecurity, stressing that patriotism requires speaking out regardless of political affiliation.
He, “Da farko, duk wanda yake da kishin Najeriya ba zai yi shiru kan matsalar rashin tsaro da ke addabar ƙasa ba, kuma ba zai hana wasu bayyana damuwarsu a kai ba. Rashin tausayi da fifita son rai ko zama karen en siyasa , da fifita son rai fiye da muradun al’umma ba abin alfahari ba ne. Ka kasance mai kishin ƙasarka, ka daina fifita siyasa a kan gaskiya, sannan ka ji tsoron Allah a cikin duk abin da kake yi #kahuturarara which translates to “Damn it, every Nigerian should not stay silent about the insecurity plaguing the nation, nor should they prevent others from voicing their concerns openly.
He added that prioritising…
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