Davido Uses World Cup Stage to Speak Up for Kidnapped Nigerian Pupils
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| Davido (Nigerian-American singer-songwriter and record producer) |
Afrobeats superstar Davido used his performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup countdown concert in the United States on Wednesday to make a powerful plea for justice.
To honor the students and teachers recently kidnapped in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria, the singer wore a specially designed outfit. As seen in a viral backstage video, Davido wore a white T-shirt that said "NIGERIA" under a black leather jacket. The back of the jacket boldly read "BRING THEM HOME," while the front was decorated with green circular buttons. Each button featured the name of a kidnap victim; the names of those still captive were written in white, while the names of those who have tragically died were written in red.
As a global ambassador for African culture, Davido used his massive spotlight to bring international attention to Nigeria's ongoing security crisis. Just moments before heading onto the stage, he expressed his deep sadness over the tragedy and urged the Nigerian government to speed up its rescue operations.
“Peace and love everywhere. May God be with the families of the abducted and the ones who have been killed,” Davido said.
“They still haven’t been rescued; we’re praying to God every day. We’re also praying to God that the government hastens, and you know… My country is going through a lot. We represent everywhere we go.”
