Afrobeats superstar Davido has explained why he chose to draw global attention to Nigeria’s growing kidnapping crisis during his performance at the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup, saying the safety of citizens should always take precedence over protecting the country’s image.
The award-winning singer revealed that he used the international stage to spotlight the abduction of schoolchildren and their teachers in Oyo State, wearing a specially designed outfit bearing the names of the missing victims to raise awareness and keep public attention on the tragedy.
Speaking in a recent interview, Davido criticised what he described as the reluctance of some influential figures to openly address Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.
According to him, efforts to preserve the country’s reputation should never come at the expense of speaking out about the suffering of 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.
Davido stressed that while performing on one of the world’s biggest stages was a privilege, he believed he had a responsibility to use his platform to amplify the voices of those who cannot speak for themselves.
He added that artists and other public figures should not remain silent in the face of humanitarian and security crises, particularly when the lives of vulnerable children are at stake.
At the time of his remarks, the abducted pupils and their teachers had not yet been rescued.
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