By Monday Eze
I have not met Nigerian superstar, David Adeleke (Davido), physically; but I have met him severally in his music, media outings and in his social engagements and charity works. All these have endeared the young man to many people across the world including people who have not met him physically like me. In line with my wont, I have listened to Davido’s personal travel advice to Africans in the diaspora in the Big Homies House interview.
In Mr. David Adeleke’s words: “Nobody who is in America should leave America to go back to Africa. I will not lie, it’s not cool back home. The Nigerian economy right now is in shambles. I even feel ashamed anytime I go back to Nigeria. When I’m filming, I don’t show the bad parts because I’m an ambassador. But the truth is, there’s nothîng good in Nigeria. Don’t waste your time going there. Nothing is going well in Nigeria. The exchange rate is messed up, we have like the lowest currency value in Africa at the moment. The oil prices are too high, the fuel prices are too high. And it’s sad because we produce the oil and fuel but we’re paying more money for oil than a country that’s importing oil. Entertainment is the only thing that has made Africa look good but in reality we’re suffering.”
Davido merely shared his candid thoughts on the state of affairs in Nigeria; and this has sparked a mix of reactions from the public. While some praised his honesty, others launched attacks on the music superstar without addressing the substance of his comments. A critical examination of dissenting comments on Mr. Adeleke’s advice show that nobody has controverted him on any of the facts upon which he premised the advice. None either had any reason to doubt his sincerity. All that Davido’s attackers have been trying to do was to say that he should not have spoken the truth! He should have allowed Africans who had found their footing in stable economies to fall for the empty entreaties of Nigeria’s inept leaders who keep preaching and faking good governance but would never take any action in the direction of accountability, good governance and meaningful development. It is instructive that majority of Davido’s attackers appear to be staunch beneficiaries of the unwholesome and unpopular order in Nigeria like Joe Igbokwe, Reno Omokiri and some others who want to ride on the back of Mr. Adeleke to attract the patronage of the managers of the failed Nigerian system.
One other ironical thing about most of those who criticize Davido’s frank statements about Nigeria is that they are already living the thrust of Davido’s travel advice. Reno Omokiri, for instance, relocated from the country at the collapse of the economy after serving in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. Since then, he is not thinking of coming back to this country. From his comfort zone in another country which system is working better than Nigeria’s, he dishes out motivational posts on daily basis to jobless and suffering Nigerian youths. Joe Igbokwe is a forsaken Tinubu apologist who cannot enter his Nnewi community in Anambra State because of insecurity. It is good that Davido has offered him the opportunity to say what might please his estranged benefactor who presides over Nigeria.
Mr Patrick Doyle, a veteran actor who, in recent times, jumps at every opportunity to attack Davido, took a different angle. Doyle thinks that Davido whose father is said to have a $2 billion dollar power generation investment in Nigeria should not have spoken the truth about the country. In the first place, the investment of Pa Adeleke was not in issue. Even Davido himself has continued to make humongous investments in charity and to use his brand to lift his fellow compatriots, but bringing that up would have also been an unnecessary digression. The issue for discussion was the state of affairs in Nigeria and the posers for Davido’s critics include: Are the system and economy working? How many of those condemning Davido’s comment would continue to live in Nigeria if they have options to live in other countries? Why are thousands of Nigerian youths dying in throngs in Sahara deserts and drowning in the seas daily in their avowed bid to escape from Nigeria to greener pastures? Why will Nigerian government deploy draconoan policies and not incentives to hold down professionals like nurses in the country? It is curious that Mr. Patrick Doyle who is both a Christian and a parent is attacking Davido for speaking the truth. Doyle would have obviously been comfortable if Davido had told a lie about Nigeria and misled millions in search of greener pastures into coming to the wilderness which Nigeria has literally become. Davido’s critics seem to think that lying about one’s country is an act of patriotism. This is not correct! The bible says that, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”.
As one of Nigeria’s most influential celebrities, David Adeleke”s words carry significant weight and it would have been unfair for him to put his compelling charismatic imprimatur on lies! Davido has constitutional and moral rights to speak truth to power. This, he has done in a humane and patriotic way, thereby raising awareness about Nigeria’s leadership challenges. By speaking out about the country’s problems, he brought attention to issues that might otherwise be ignored. At his level, he remains not just a powerful medium for sparking conversations and inspiring change. Davido has become an outstanding Nigerian celebrity patriot and an Ambassador of truth who is not afraid to speak truth to power. Nigeria needs many more ‘Davidos’ at this critical moment
Wonderful piece here.