Insecurity: Rarara’s criticism of Davido’s World Cup message triggers backlash

An online controversy has emerged after political praise singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara came under criticism for his comments against Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, over the singer’s message on Nigeria’s insecurity. The debate started after Davido appeared at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert in Los Angeles wearing a jacket with […]

An online controversy has emerged after political praise singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara came under criticism for his comments against Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, over the singer’s message on Nigeria’s insecurity.
The debate started after Davido appeared at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert in Los Angeles wearing a jacket with the words “Bring Them Home” and the names of abducted schoolchildren from Oyo State. A gesture that was widely seen as a call for action on insecurity in Nigeria.
Rarara, in a video shared online, criticised Davido’s action, saying it painted Nigeria in a bad light and should not have been taken to an international stage.
However, his comments quickly triggered reactions online, with many users pushing back and accusing him of attacking the singer for speaking up about insecurity instead of focusing on the problem itself.
The issue became more heated after Davido reacted on X (formerly Twitter) with a short post that read “Debidoo,” a playful jab at how his name was pronounced by Rarara.
While some users agreed with Rarara that Nigeria’s image should be protected, many others defended Davido, saying he only used his platform to draw attention to the issue of kidnapping and insecurity.
An X user named @AyshaHamman advised the Afrobeats star to ignore the singer entirely, writing: “Hello, @davido, trust me, that clown isn’t worth all the attention. We don’t like him here, and he is fully aware of his idiocy. He’s a local champion who wants to get your attention so that your replies can promote him. He really isn’t that relevant.”
Another user, @Sadeeq_Malo, wrote: “We, the educated Northerners, respectfully distance ourselves from Rarara’s views and conduct. His opinions are personal and should not be mistaken for the position of the wider Northern educated community.” Echoing this sentiment, @uxtazerhzee added that watching Rarara’s response video only proved that “university is not a scam. Education helps people think critically and express their arguments in a clear and convincing way.” Many people also expressed deep disappointment that Rarara, who lives in the North, chose to attack an artist instead of speaking up for the hundreds of kidnapping victims in his own backyard.
User @UsmanZannaah pointed out: “Funny how Rarara found his voice to attack Davido but couldn’t find it when northern children were being kidnapped in their hundreds. Davido used an international stage to demand justice for abducted pupils and teachers. Rarara is upset because he reminded the world of a crisis they preferred to ignore.”
Sharing a similar view, @Msageer_ stated: “I feel disappointed as a Northerner that Rarara could not say anything about Gen. Rabe even after his death, despite different cases of kidnapping and killings. Yet he is now accusing @davido (Debido) of protecting terrorists and exposing Nigeria’s secrets? What he did is the least he could do. What about you?”
However, some critics felt that the “Debidoo” joke was a direct insult to the Hausa language and identity.
An X user, @A__yabo, warned Northerners against rushing to support the pop star, saying, ‘Davido mocked the Hausa accent with the ‘Debidoo’ clapback, yet many northerners are still rushing to side with him over Rarara.’ Rarara may have his flaws… but one thing you hardly see is southerners abandoning their own to support a northerner in a public dispute. I have no problem with anyone demanding good governance, but don’t disrespect our language accent while at it.”
On his part, Davido released a statement in both Hausa and English, defending his actions and urging Nigerians not to stay silent about the country’s problems just to protect politicians.
“Damn it, every Nigerian should not stay silent about the insecurity plaguing the nation,” Davido wrote. “Showing bias and prioritising personal or political interests… is nothing to be proud of. Be a patriot for your country, stop prioritising politics over the truth, and fear God in everything you do.”