Superstar Nigeria Afrobeat sensation has amassed heavy criticism from fans, netizens, politicians and opinion leaders in the country following his comment about Nigeria’s economy.
The grammy nominated star while appearing on The Big Homies House podcast, urged the black Americans, particularly Nigerians not to return home, citing the country’s current economic woes.
Davido’s remark followed speculations that some black Americans were considering leaving the United States following the electoral victory of the US President-elect, Donald Trump.
According to reports, Africans in America are concerned about potential policies of Trump that may not favour them.
Addressing the speculation, Davido said, “Leave America and go where? Let’s be honest! Go back where? It’s not cool back home. My country now is in. . .the economy is in shambles.
“I do my part, I’m an ambassador. When I go home and I’m filming, I’m not going to show the bad parts. I go to the trenches but I’m talking about the situation in the country. We Nigerians, like now the exchange rate is messed up, a lot of stuff are not going well, the economy is just not good.
“The oil prices are too high, and imagine a country that produces oil, we produce the oil and we pay more money for oil than a country that’s importing oil.
“There’s stuff like that, but regardless, entertainment is one of the things that’s made Africa look good. We do not have the best leaders, that’s a fact,”.
While few netizens confirmed the entertainer’s statement as obvious, many have asked the singer to immediately retract his statement describing it as disappointing and unpatriotic.
It started as a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Joe Igbokwe in a post on his official Facebook page enjoined the singer to retract his statement with immediate effect.
Igbokwe said, “My In-law Davido has made me sad by telling the world in America that Nigeria’s economy is in shambles.
“This is very sad. I will advise him to retract the statement asap. Nigeria made Davido. QED!!!”
Veteran actor, Patrick Doyle took to his Facebook page to write that the artiste is not in the right state to make such derogatory comment about a country where his father has a huge investment.
He wrote: “You have to be incredibly dense to ask foreigners not to visit a country where your father has a $2 Billion Dollar power generation investment. Some persons ought to know much better.”
In the same development, Bashir Ahmed, a former aide to Nigerian former president, Mohammadu Buhari said the remark was disappointing.
In a post on his official X handle, Bashir said, “Selling out your country from foreign soil is so disappointing and unpatriotic. Public figures like Davido should know that.
“They should act and be seen as good ambassadors for Nigeria wherever they find themselves. @NOA_Nigeria”!
On his X page, Reno Omokri wrote, “David Adeleke displayed ignorance and a lack of patriotism with that statement on a globally renowned podcast like The Big Homies House. Even worse, he said, ‘We do not have the best leader; that is a fact.’ It isn’t enjoyable for a young man whose uncle is a governor and should know better.”
In some positive reactions, celebrities have maintained that every citizen irrespective of their status is entitled to their opinion or view about the country.
Controversial critic and social commentator Verydarkman shared a video on Instagram where he spoke against those who criticized Davido.
He emphasized that people were too quick to judge without recognizing that Davido was truthful in his interview.
VDM suggested that Davido should have started by discussing the insecurity in Nigeria. He also mentioned that if he were in Davido’s position, he would have warned that Americans moving to Nigeria could be in danger of kidnapping.
In his words, “Davido didn’t lie Nigeria Economy is really In shambles, Davido in your next Interview also add that their is serious Insecurity in Nigeria, so Because Davido’s dad has a Billion Dollar investment he should lie that everything in Nigeria is good, you all are lucky that CNN didn’t invite me for an Interview I would have said worst.”
Inibehe Effiong in her remark wrote, “Davido is entitled to his opinion about the state of affairs in Nigeria. In any event, he said the truth. Those attacking him are not serious people.”
Controversial DJ Switch on her part said, “I don’t understand the attack on Davido for telling it as it is on the state of the Nigerian economy. Or should he have lied? This false sense of “rep” your country is why we are not solving problems. Maybe Nigeria has not been embarrassed enough to make these people actually sit up.”
In what seems like a u-turn reaction to the heavy backlash. Davido in a tweet now making rounds on the internet said a prayer for Nigeria. He wrote; “God bless Nigeria.”
This controversy speaks volume on how sensitive statements of public figures can make or mar the image of a country conflicting a case where every citizen should be allowed to their opinion especially in a democratic society like Nigeria.
