Afrobeats superstar David Adedeji Adeleke has explained why he chose to honour victims of the Oyo school kidnapping during his performance at the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking during an interview with BBC News Africa, the award-winning singer said he could not ignore the growing insecurity in Nigeria, particularly the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers.
According to Davido, many people choose to remain silent in an effort to protect Nigeria’s image, but he believes there is little value in doing so while innocent children continue to be kidnapped.
“A lot of people don’t really want to talk about what is going on in my country. They want to protect the image, but there’s no image to protect if little kids are being kidnapped.”
The “With You” crooner said performing at the World Cup opening ceremony was a great honour, but he also saw it as an opportunity to draw global attention to the plight of the missing victims.
He explained that music and live performances remain the most powerful platforms he has to speak on issues affecting Nigerians.
“We have the power to let the world know through our own means. My power is in music and performances. These students and teachers have been missing and still not found, so I used my platform to project what’s really going on.”
During the opening ceremony, Davido wore a customised jacket bearing the names of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers from Oyo State, alongside the message, “Bring Them Home,” as a symbolic appeal for their safe return.
His tribute has been widely praised by many Nigerians, with supporters commending him for using one of the world’s biggest sporting stages to amplify the plight of the victims instead of remaining silent.
