Legal practitioner and author Timothy Tugbiyele has publicly called on Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, known as Davido, to apologise to Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo. The request follows a social media post in which Davido shared what appeared to be Okpebholo's West African Examinations Council (WAEC) result, a move that has sparked widespread controversy.
Background of the Dispute
The controversy began after Governor Okpebholo made remarks mocking Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, Davido's uncle, over his well-known love of dancing. In response, Davido fired back by sharing the alleged WAEC result on social media, a decision that has divided public opinion.
Tugbiyele made his call in a video uploaded to Facebook on Monday, using the ongoing political exchanges ahead of the Osun State governorship election on August 15 as the backdrop. He recounted the episode, saying, "I watched a video when Governor Okpebholo called the governor of my state, Adeleke, the dancing governor. And the governor's relation, David Adeleke, replied by publishing the WAEC Secondary School leaving result of Governor Okpebholo, the governor of Edo State."
Tugbiyele's Legal Perspective
While Tugbiyele acknowledged that the result appeared underwhelming, he maintained that it gave no one the right to use it as a weapon. "The result is not good enough, but it's possible. The governor did a resit. We are not aware of that, but I think Davido, David Adeleke's publication is inappropriate," he said.
In his view, the appropriate response would have been for Governor Adeleke himself to reply through official channels, such as a commissioner of information or a special assistant, rather than leaving it to Davido. Tugbiyele also raised the matter of social standing, arguing that a musician and a sitting governor occupy very different positions. "David Adeleke and the governor of the state, they are not in the same social class. They are not of the same status. They are not in the same class," he stated.
Appeal for an Apology
Describing the post as disrespectful, Tugbiyele drew on Davido's reputation as a well-raised Yoruba man, referencing photographs he had seen of the singer prostrating before elders. He then made a direct appeal: "Davido, David Adeleke, please, as a proper Yoruba, please apologise to Governor Okpebholo."
The lawyer also used his own academic journey to argue that a poor result at any stage of life should never be used to diminish a person. "I've had results that are not, I mean, results not good enough. But one of the things that has kept me going is that I had a father who never called me a dullard," he said, adding that Okpebholo's past academic record is irrelevant to who he is today.
Call for Elders to Intervene
Tugbiyele concluded by calling on Davido's elders to step in, insisting that political disagreements must never descend into personal attacks. "You do not disrespect elders... it should not be an eye for an eye," he said.
The row comes as political tensions run high in Osun State, with Davido having openly backed his uncle's bid for a second term as governor. In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Davido also waded into a dispute between MC Oluomo and his uncle, taking a pointed jab at the transport union chief in an Instagram story post on Monday, July 27, 2026. Writing in pidgin English, he said: "@kingmcoluomo dem say u Dey game ... I doubt lol look ur mirror."
