Admin I Tuesday, June 16, 2026
LAGOS — A fierce war of words has erupted between the newly appointed Ambassador-Designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, and international Afrobeats superstar, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.
The feud escalated after Omokri expressed shock and disappointment over what he described as “vulgar” insults directed at him by the music star on Instagram.
The genesis of the altercation stems from a social media post where Omokri challenged Labor Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over alleged false claims regarding the repatriation of Nigerian prisoners from Ethiopia. Davido’s subsequent intervention and harsh reaction drew a lengthy, detailed response from the former presidential aide.
In an open letter addressed to the singer, Omokri revealed that the animosity likely traced back to an appeal he made to Davido regarding his conduct during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Omokri had urged the artist not to use the global sports platform to highlight Nigeria’s internal security challenges, specifically banditry and terrorism.
”I am aware that you were upset at my appeal to you not to use an international platform, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to give publicity to bandits and terrorists,” Omokri stated, suggesting that Peter Obi’s subsequent praise of Davido’s actions may have emboldened the musician to attack him.
While acknowledging that Davido’s intentions might have been to pressure the federal government, Omokri argued that the real-world consequences of such statements are dangerous.
”The actual effect of what you did is to give publicity to the terrorists and help them spread fear, recruit new members, and raise funds,” Omokri warned.
‘IShowSpeed Marketed Nigeria, You De-marketed It’
Drawing a sharp contrast, Omokri criticized Davido for “de-marketing” his home country on the world stage, comparing his actions unfavorably to those of popular American streamer, IShowSpeed, who attended the same tournament.
”How can you, a Nigerian citizen, with a global platform, go on a global stage to give publicity to terrorists and de-market Nigeria?” Omokri questioned. “Meanwhile, at that same event, and on that same day, IShowSpeed, an American citizen, used his celebrity and the global stage of the World Cup to market Nigeria by wearing a Nigerian jersey and speaking well of the country.”
To bolster his argument, the Ambassador-Designate cited international precedents, noting that high-profile American, British, and Canadian celebrities have consistently refrained from using massive sporting platforms like the Super Bowl or UEFA Champions League to discuss sensitive hostage situations, such as the October 7, 2023, abductions in Israel.
He also referenced Nigeria’s tragic history with the 2014 Chibok girls’ kidnapping, arguing that global publicity—including the famous campaign backed by former US First Lady Michelle Obama—inadvertently sabotaged military rescue operations.
”The publicity resulted in Boko Haram separating the girls into different groups… which made it literally impossible to rescue them,” Omokri wrote, adding that the intense media coverage ultimately boosted Boko Haram’s finances and recruitment, leading to their eventual merger with ISIS to form ISWAP.
Quoting former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s famous maxim that “publicity is the oxygen of terrorism,” as well as guidelines from the UNESCO Handbook for Journalists on Terrorism Coverage, Omokri urged public figures to be more circumspect.
”You are an international celebrity whom Nigeria is proud of. Coming to insult me on my Instagram profile with such vulgar words should be beneath you,” Omokri concluded, expressing hope that the music icon would understand the gravity of national security public relations.
As of the time of filing this report, Davido has yet to issue a formal response to Omokri’s latest open letter.
