"Please, you all should leave Davido alone, mad people. Davido spoke the truth. Nigeria's current economic state is so bad..."
Prominent Nigerian entertainers have rallied behind their colleague, Davido, to address the economic challenges Nigerians are enduring under President Bola Tinubu's administration.
Music executive Paulo Okoye, rapper Ruggedman, Tiwa Savage, Kiekie, Tacha, and other celebrities voiced their concerns after Davido faced backlash for his comments on Nigeria's economy.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Davido, during an appearance on the 'Big Homies House' podcast, urged Black Americans to reconsider relocating to Nigeria due to economic difficulties.
The 32-year-old singer highlighted poor leadership, a high exchange rate, and skyrocketing petroleum prices as significant hindrances.
However, the 'Timeless' hitmaker remarks sparked criticism, notably from All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Joe Igbokwe and Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Several celebrities took to social media to defend Davido, highlighting the struggles of ordinary Nigerians with inflation, rising living costs, and an unpredictable business climate.
The truth
Paulo, 57, supported Davido's comments in an Instagram post on Monday, describing them as a reflection of Nigeria's harsh realities.
According to him, the challenging economy has driven global companies out of the country and left local businesses grappling with significant losses.
He also emphasised the growing trend of young talents emigrating for better opportunities abroad.
He said: "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."
Too much hardship
Ruggedman, whose real name is Michael Stephens, stressed that the level of hardship in Nigeria has become unbearable for its citizens.
He called on the government to address the situation instead of shifting blame and criticising Davido for his remarks.
"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", said the 'Thy Album Come' hitmaker.
Surviving in Nigeria
Additionally, Tiwa Savage revealed how Nigeria's economic challenges have negatively affected the entertainment industry and its creative talents.
During her appearance on the 'Shopping The Sneakers' podcast on Sunday, the 44-year-old said surviving in the country is hard.
She remarked that the state of the Nigerian economy has essentially transformed celebrities into hustlers.
Tiwa Savage said, "I think Nigeria is, but when you come to Nigeria, you will understand why we breed so many superstars.
"To survive in Nigeria is something else, so the artists that come out of Nigeria are just like hustlers. They are just hustling."
Double hustle
More so, content creator Oluwabukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, known as KieKie stated that the current economic challenges have forced entertainers to juggle multiple jobs simultaneously.
In a now-deleted post on her Instagram story, KieKie lamented the constant rise in commodity prices, highlighting the daily struggle of increasing costs.
The brand influencer, TV host and actress wrote: "We've all doubled our hustle, but it's not showing because things are ridiculously and unbelievably expensive. May God help us."
Relocation
Meanwhile, Reality TV star and entrepreneur Anita Akide, known as Tacha, has announced her decision to relocate to the United Kingdom, citing Nigeria's worsening economy.
Tacha, who gained fame as a housemate in BBNaija Season 4, shared the news on her X page on Monday.
While she did not specify her departure date, she wrote: "Relocating to the UK so help me God."
Background
The celebrities mentioned are not the first to criticise Nigeria's worsening hardships and dire economic situation.
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In February, this newspaper reported that veteran Yoruba actor Ebun Oloyede, known as Olaiya Igwe, who went naked to campaign for Mr Tinubu, expressed concern about the country's growing struggles.
Olaiya, 66, a staunch APC supporter, urged Mr Tinubu to tackle the widespread hunger and address the lack of positive changes Nigerians had been anticipating under his leadership.
Olaiya's outcry over the economic challenges was preceded by that of Fuji music icon Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, known as Kwam 1, another ardent supporter of Mr Tinubu, who also called for urgent action to alleviate the nation's hardships and insecurity.
In February, Kwam 1 lamented the worsening conditions Nigerians have faced since Mr Tinubu assumed office.
He urged the President to fulfil the promises of good governance made during his campaign and respond to the cries of citizens, emphasising their widespread suffering.
As of press time, Davido has responded to criticisms of his remark about the economic situation.
On Monday's X page, the singer wrote, "God bless Nigeria."
