Posted by Chinenye on Thu 11th Jun, 2026 - tori.ng
Afrobeats star Davido has sparked global attention after using a major World Cup countdown performance to draw attention to a kidnapping crisis in Nigeria.
(Davido wears jacket bearing names of abducted pupils, teachers in Nigeria for World Cup countdown performance. Photo Credit: Punch News)
Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, on Wednesday appeared on stage for the FIFA World Cup countdown concert in a customised outfit honouring the pupils and teachers recently kidn@pped in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Turning his highly anticipated pre-tournament performance into an advocacy showcase, Davido spotlighted the security crisis in Nigeria, demanding immediate government action for the victims who remain in captivity.
In a viral backstage video clip, Davido wore a black leather jacket adorned with green circular buttons bearing the individual names of the students and teachers recently abducted by armed b@ndits.
The names of those still held captive were written in white lettering on the green buttons, while the names of victims who had lost their lives during the ordeal were written in red.
The singer also wore a white t-shirt with "NIGERIA" boldly written on it, while "BRING THEM HOME" was printed on the back of the black leather jacket.
In an address moments before taking the stage, Davido expressed grief over the pace of rescue operations and urged the federal and state governments to hasten their intervention.
"Peace and love everywhere. May God be with the families of the abducted and the ones who have been killed.
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," he said.
The countdown concert serves as a major milestone ahead of the upcoming tournament.
Reports making the rounds online indicate that Davido was billed as a headlining performer at the official 2026 FIFA World Cup countdown concert in the United States, cementing his status as one of the foremost cultural ambassadors for African music on the global sports stage.
The performance follows the announcement that Davido, alongside fellow Nigerian heavyweights Burna Boy, Rema and Ayra Starr, is featured on the star-studded official 2026 FIFA World Cup soundtrack album.
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐩 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧: 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐨 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐬, 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) June 11, 2026
Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, on Wednesday, appeared on stage for the FIFA World Cup… pic.twitter.com/J3Vc6MkchI