Afrobeats superstar Davido has explained why he chose to spotlight Nigeria’s growing kidnapping crisis during his performance at the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup, saying the protection of human lives should always come before preserving the country’s image.

The award-winning singer said he used the global stage to draw attention to the abduction of schoolchildren and their teachers in Oyo State, hoping to amplify international awareness of the incident.

As part of the tribute, Davido wore a specially designed outfit bearing the names of the missing victims, a symbolic gesture intended to keep global attention on their plight.

Speaking in a recent interview, the singer criticised what he described as the reluctance of some influential Nigerians to openly address the country’s security challenges.

According to him, efforts to protect Nigeria’s reputation should never outweigh the need to speak up for innocent victims.

“A lot of people do not want to talk about what is happening in my country because they want to protect a lot of images. Which image is there to protect if little children are being kidnapped?” he said.

Davido added that while performing on one of the world’s biggest stages was a privilege, he believed he had a responsibility to use the opportunity to advocate for those whose voices cannot be heard.

He maintained that artists and public figures should not remain silent in the face of humanitarian and security crises, especially when the lives of vulnerable people are at stake.

At the time of his remarks, the abducted pupils and their teachers had yet to be rescued.