Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, and prominent 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, where he wore a customised jacket bearing the inscription “Bring Them Home” and featuring the names of over 40 schoolchildren and teachers abducted 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 government efforts to secure their release continue.
During his performance, Davido used the high-profile platform to draw international attention to the insecurity crisis.
The gesture received praise from figures such as Nigerian Democratic Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
However, Rarara, a known All Progressive Congress-aligned musician, criticised the move.
In a video posted on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Rarara described Davido’s action as “barbaric,” noting that it could damage Nigeria’s image.
“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 alleged that the Afrobeats star was trying to mobilise political support for his uncle, who is contesting an election on the platform of the Accord Party, and to portray the current administration negatively.
“Is it because his uncle is contesting an election on Accord Party and Tinubu is in 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 further warned that security matters are sensitive and should not be handled without proper understanding of the situation, claiming that the abduction of the Oyo schoolchildren and teachers followed the arrest of some terrorists by security operatives.
“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.”
In response, Davido reacted on X by quoting Rarara’s post and replying “Debidooo,” in what appeared to be a mocking reference to the pronunciation of his name in Hausa.
Rarara responded with the phrase “Kashiga taitayinka,” a derogatory Hausa expression telling the Afrobeat star to come back to his senses.
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.”
