Nigerian Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has fired back at Kano singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara. The dispute follows Rarara’s criticism of Davido’s decision to highlight Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis during the 2026 FIFA World Cup ceremonies with his outfit.
Rarara’s Criticism
Rarara had accused Davido of putting the lives of kidnapped victims at risk by bringing global attention to domestic security issues in Nigeria. He said, “What Davido exhibited was crude behaviour. How can you go and expose Nigeria’s secrets to the world? Why will he give publicity to insurgents?” The insurgents kidnapped these students to force the security operatives to release their people, and our government is insisting on not releasing them while trying to free the children. At this critical stage, he went to expose our security issue globally during the World Cup.”
Rarara further alleged that the musician’s motives were rooted in partisan loyalty, linking the act to political affiliation in Osun State. “Just because his uncle is vying for re-election in an opposition party and Tinubu is in the APC, he printed the names of the kidnapped students and went to showcase them in America,” he claimed.
According to the Kano singer, such visibility encourages criminal elements. “What he did was akin to derobing one’s mother and taking a picture and publicly announcing it in the marketplace. When you have a huge following on social media and give publicity to insurgents, it only makes things worse,” Rarara noted, drawing on a personal experience. “I am a living witness because when my mother was kidnapped, it remained only a few days for her release to be secured when Atiku Abubakar publicly called for her release. Because of that, it took several more days before she was released. So his public statement led to more harm than good.”
Davido’s Response
In response, Davido dismissed the allegations as narrow-minded and warned against prioritizing political allegiance over national welfare. “First of all, anyone who truly loves Nigeria will not keep silent about the insecurity plaguing the country, nor will they prevent others from expressing their concerns about it.” A lack of compassion, putting personal interests first, becoming a political stooge, and prioritising self-interest above the welfare of the people are not things to be proud of. Be patriotic, stop placing politics above the truth, and fear God in everything you do, @kahuturarara.”
Broader Debate
This disagreement has sparked a wider debate about whether celebrities should use their fame to speak out on social issues. Some fans praise Davido for using his platform to demand government accountability. However, critics like Rarara argue that drawing global attention to these problems can sometimes interfere with delicate security negotiations.
