Afrobeats superstar Davido has passionately defended his bold decision to wear pins bearing the names of abducted Oyo schoolchildren and teachers during his performance at a 2026 FIFA World Cup countdown event, insisting that Nigeria’s global image means nothing while innocent kids remain in captivity.
The singer made the powerful statement at the FIFA World Cup Countdown Concert in Los Angeles, where he performed wearing a customised jacket featuring green badges with the names of the 39 pupils and seven teachers still missing from the Oriire Local Government Area abduction. The back of the jacket carried the urgent message “BRING THEM HOME.”
Read Davido Wears Abducted Oyo Children Names at FIFA Concert
In a subsequent interview with BBC’s Focus on Africa, Davido explained why he used his global platform this way:
“A lot of people don’t really want to talk about what goes on in my country simply because they want to protect the image, but there’s no image to protect if little kids are being kidnapped.”
He continued:
“As much as I was happy to do the World Cup, we also have to understand that there are things going on back home in our country, which we have the power to let the world know through our own means… When I say our own means, where’s my power? My power is in music, performances. We have these students that have been missing, still not found. So yeah, I use my platform to project what’s really going on.”
Davido’s gesture has drawn widespread praise from many Nigerians who see it as a courageous act of solidarity with the affected families. However, it has also sparked debate, with some critics arguing that such public displays could tarnish the country’s image on the international stage.
Read Davido, Rarara Clash Over FIFA Concert Performance for Abducted Children
The abduction in Oyo State, which involved young children including some as young as two years old, continues to generate national outrage as families await their safe return.
Davido’s action adds to a growing list of celebrities using their influence to highlight insecurity issues, keeping the pressure on authorities to secure the release of the missing pupils and teachers.