Afrobeats singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has voiced concern over poor governance, injustice and the worsening hardship confronting Nigerians.
The singer made this known during an appearance on the I Wanna Talk podcast, where he reflected on the 2020 #EndSARS protests, saying he initially believed the demonstrations would bring about meaningful change in the country.
However, Davido said he became discouraged when Nigerians seemingly returned to their normal activities shortly after the protests, despite the demands for better leadership and accountability.
He also criticised individuals who claim to champion the interests of Nigerians but abandon their principles after gaining political power.
The award-winning singer stressed that Nigeria needs urgent positive transformation, adding that the responsibility for rebuilding the country rests on both political leaders and ordinary citizens.
Davido further revealed that despite coming from a wealthy and influential family, he still has concerns about insecurity and the possibility of losing his life.
He also admitted that he could not offer direct advice to Nigerians battling economic hardship because he was not experiencing the same challenges, although he acknowledged having personal struggles.
Speaking on the podcast, he said, “I was happy to see Nigerians protest during EndSARS. I thought change was coming, but December came and people were partying. Even me, who was initially optimistic about the movement, got discouraged. I was like, we can’t kill ourselves. We have kids and people we are living for.
“Once the government is bad, there would be hardship. I can’t even advise people who are going through economic hardship because I am not going through what they are going through, even though I have my own struggles, too. What I can say is, Nigeria, fix up. The country has to change from politicians to citizens, everything.
“We can’t change our society until we change our mindset as a people. Today, the same people that were protesting are campaigning for politicians. Those who claim to fight for the people often change when they get power,” he stated.