Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, and Hausa singer Dauda Rarara have engaged in a public exchange after the latter accused the Afrobeats star of embarrassing Nigeria on the global stage.
The exchange stems from Davido’s appearance at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert in Los Angeles on June 10, when he wore a customised jacket bearing the inscription “Bring Them Home” and featuring the names of over 40 schoolchildren and teachers kidnapped on May 15 from Oriire Local Government Area in Oyo State.
Some of the victims were killed during the attack, while others remain in captivity as the government works to gain their release.
During his performance, Davido used the high-profile platform to raise international awareness of the insecurity situation.
The move was praised by politicians such as Nigerian Democratic Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.
However, Rarara, a well-known All Progressives Congress-aligned musician, criticised the move.
In a video shared on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Rarara called Davido’s actions “barbaric”, warning that they could harm Nigeria’s reputation.
“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?”
The Hausa singer claimed that the Afrobeats star was attempting to rally political support for his uncle, who is running for office on the Accord Party platform, while also disparaging the existing administration.
“Is it because his uncle is contesting an election on the Accord Party and Tinubu is in the 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?”
He also warned that security issues are sensitive and should not be addressed without a thorough grasp of the situation, claiming that the kidnapping of Oyo pupils and teachers followed the arrest of certain terrorists by security personnel.
“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.
“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.”
Davido responded on X by repeating Rarara’s article and adding “Debidooo”, which appeared to be a satirical reference to the pronunciation of his name in Hausa.
Rarara answered with the word “Kashiga taitayinka”, a disparaging Hausa expression that tells the Afrobeat star to get his head together.
Davido also replied, “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.”
