By Fasuyi Tolulope Samuel
Prominent Nigerian celebrities have rallied behind Afrobeats star Davido, who recently criticized the state of Nigeria’s economy under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Davido’s remarks on a U.S. podcast, which highlighted the country’s worsening economic conditions, have ignited a fierce public discourse.
Speaking on the Big Homies House podcast, the 32-year-old singer advised Black Americans to reconsider relocating to Nigeria due to its economic challenges. Davido cited poor leadership, a volatile exchange rate, and surging fuel prices as major impediments to stability.
His remarks did not sit well with some political figures. All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Joe Igbokwe and former presidential aide Reno Omokri were among his fiercest critics. However, Davido found strong support from his peers, who say his comments reflect the harsh realities faced by Nigerians.
Music executive Paul Okoye, popularly known as Paulo, defended Davido’s stance, calling it a wake-up call. In a powerful Instagram post, Paulo, 57, painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s business environment, citing the mass exodus of global corporations and local firms’ struggles. He also highlighted the increasing emigration of young talents in search of better prospects abroad.
“Please, you all should leave Davido alone, mad people. Davido spoke the truth. Nigeria’s current economic state is so bad. With global companies leaving and local businesses facing significant losses, we face challenges. Let’s acknowledge the reality and work towards a better future. God bless Nigeria,” Paulo wrote.
Rapper Ruggedman, born Michael Stephens, joined the conversation, emphasizing the unbearable hardship Nigerians endure. He urged the government to focus on solving the crisis instead of attacking Davido’s statement.
“Okay, Davido has said what he said. Moving forward, the government should fix Nigeria so nobody will say such a thing again. All this barking all over the place is not fixing the nation. The hardship is too much,” he said.
Tiwa Savage, one of Nigeria’s top female artists, revealed how economic hardship has transformed the entertainment industry. Speaking on the Shopping the Sneakers podcast, the 44-year-old described Nigerian artists as relentless hustlers, shaped by the country’s adversity.
“To survive in Nigeria is something else, so the artists that come out of Nigeria are just like hustlers. They are just hustling,” Tiwa remarked.
Content creator Oluwabukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, known as KieKie, expressed frustration over skyrocketing prices. In a now-deleted Instagram post, KieKie revealed how entertainers have been forced into multiple income streams just to keep up.
“We’ve all doubled our hustle, but it’s not showing because things are ridiculously and unbelievably expensive. May God help us,” she lamented.
Reality TV star and entrepreneur Anita Akide, famously known as Tacha, announced her intent to relocate to the UK, blaming the dire economic situation. Tacha, a former BBNaija star, shared on X (formerly Twitter):
“Relocating to the UK so help me God.” Although she did not disclose when she plans to leave, her statement signals how dire the situation has become for some entertainers.
