Afrobeats star Davido used his appearance at the FIFA World Cup countdown concert on Wednesday to spotlight the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State.
The singer wore a specially designed black leather jacket featuring green circular badges, each inscribed with the name of a kidnapped student or teacher. Names of those still in captivity were written in white, while victims confirmed dead were marked in red.
The back of the jacket carried the message “BRING THEM HOME,” while he paired it with a white T-shirt printed with “NIGERIA.”
A viral backstage video showed Davido highlighting Nigeria’s security challenges and urging faster government intervention to secure the release of the abducted victims.
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Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, on Wednesday, appeared on stage for the FIFA World Cup… pic.twitter.com/J3Vc6MkchI— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) June 11, 2026
“Peace and love everywhere. May God be with the families of the abducted and the ones who have been killed,” he said.
“They still haven’t been rescued; we’re praying to God every day. We’re also praying to God that the government hastens… my country is going through a lot. We represent everywhere we go.”
The performance formed part of build-up events to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the expanded edition of the global tournament set to be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The competition, running from June 11 to July 19, 2026, will feature 48 teams and a record 104 matches across 16 host cities.
The World Cup has increasingly incorporated music and entertainment into its official programming, with Davido among the headline acts at the countdown concert. He also features on the tournament’s official soundtrack alongside fellow Nigerian artists Burna Boy, Rema and Ayra Starr.
His appearance drew attention not only for the performance but for the political and humanitarian message carried on one of football’s biggest pre-tournament stages.