Rarara and Davido Clash Over World Cup Performance

Afrobeats star David Adeleke, known as Davido, and Hausa singer Dauda Rarara have been trading words after Rarara accused Davido of embarrassing Nigeria internationally.

This argument started after Davido performed at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert in Los Angeles on June 10. He wore a custom jacket that said “Bring Them Home,” listing over 40 schoolchildren and teachers who were kidnapped on May 15 from Oriire Local Government Area in Oyo State.

Some of those taken were killed, while others are still missing as the government tries to get them back.

During his performance, Davido aimed to highlight the ongoing insecurity crisis in Nigeria.

Many, including Peter Obi, a presidential candidate for the Nigerian Democratic Party, praised his gesture.

But Rarara, who is known to support the All Progressive Congress, criticized Davido's actions.

In a video on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Rarara called Davido’s move “barbaric,” saying it could hurt 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?”

Rarara suggested that Davido was trying to gain political support for his uncle, who is running for election with the Accord Party, and to make the current government look bad.

“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 went on to say that security issues are delicate and should not be addressed without understanding the facts, claiming the kidnapping followed the arrest of some terrorists by security forces.

“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 saying “Debidooo,” which seemed to mock how his name is pronounced in Hausa.

Rarara replied with “Kashiga taitayinka,” a Hausa expression telling Davido to come back to his senses.

Davido also responded: “Da ace kana da ilimi da na tsaya nayi magana dakai. Ama komai baka sani ba, sakarai kawai,” which means “If only you had knowledge, I would have stopped to speak with you. But you know nothing, just a fool.”