Nigerian politician and former aide to Goodluck Jonathan Reno Omokri has knocked Davido over his comment on Africa’s economy.
Kemi Filani reported that Davido, in a recent interview, had issued a stern warning to black Americans against relocating to Africa. He warned them against making such moves, as he made them know that it wasn’t cool in Africa as the economy was in shambles. Davido, however, made it known that he wasn’t badmouthing Africa; rather, he aimed to show off the little parts and leave the slums out of the frame.
Not pleased with his statement, Reno questioned how the economy was in shambles when Wizkid broke streaming records on Spotify Nigeria with his new album, Morayo. He told Davido to fact-check as he noted how people don’t have disposable income in an economy that is in shambles.
Reno urged Davido to learn from American singer Rihanna, who never talks down on her country, and instead uses her celebrity status to promote Barbados and project it positively to the world. He stated that the singer displayed ignorance and a lack of patriotism with that statement and expressed how disappointed he was over his comment.
“Is Nigeria’s ‘Economy In Shambles’ As Singer, Davido, Claimed?
I beg to disagree with singer Davido that Nigeria’s ‘economy is in shambles’. If our economy is in shambles, how was it possible for Wizkid’s album, Morayo, to record 12.12 million streams on its inaugural day of release on Spotify Nigeria, which made the album the biggest-selling album on a streaming platform in Nigeria’s history for the first day.
Please fact-check me: Streaming music is purchased with disposable income. People do not have disposable income in an economy in shambles, not to mention breaking streaming records, especially on Spotify, where the average streaming cost is $10.99 monthly.
How many singers have broken streaming records in Venezuela or Argentina? Those are economies that could be said to be in shambles, not Nigeria.
Perhaps if Davido had built a track record of showing more commitment to Nigeria, he, like Wizkid, would have broken streaming records on Spotify Nigeria.
I urge Davido to learn from Rihanna, who never talks down on her country and instead uses her celebrity to promote Barbados and project her positively to the world. Which is why Rihanna was named a national hero and cultural ambassador for Barbados in 2018.
David Adeleke displayed ignorance and a lack of patriotism with that statement. It is rather disappointing for a young man whose uncle is a governor and should, therefore, know better. Even worse, he said that to a foreign audience in a foreign country. Davido may have US citizenship, but that does not mean he should de-market Nigeria.
And it may be that his personal experience in Osun State has made Davido take such a position. After all, Osun State, under the dancing Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, was one of the last states to increase their minimum wage to match up with the Federal Government’s new minimum wage, despite receiving 65% more federal allocation under the Tinubu government.
If that is the case, then Davido may want to specify that Osun’s local economy is in shambles, not Nigeria’s”.
