Renowned writer and Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has come forward to defend Davido, the popular Afrobeats music act, amid controversy over a now-deleted music video shared by one of his signees, Logos Olori. The video had sparked outrage among Muslims who felt it disparaged their Islamic faith.
Under the mounting pressure, Davido eventually deleted the controversial music video. However, some members of the Muslim community demanded not only an apology but also voiced their discontent through public protests, burning large banners of Davido in the northern regions of the country.
In response to the situation, Prof. Wole Soyinka issued a statement on Tuesday, asserting that Davido owes no apology to the Muslim community. Soyinka drew parallels to a past incident involving Nasir El Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, who made remarks deemed derogatory to Christians. Soyinka recalled that El Rufai had apologized under pressure, but he had disapproved of the apology, stating that none was necessary.
Expressing his disagreement with Shehu Sani, who reportedly demanded an apology from Davido on behalf of the Muslim community, Soyinka emphasized that there should be no requirement for an apology. He criticized the tendency of contrived contrition and called for an end to petulant censorship in the realm of dance and music.
While Soyinka admitted that he had not seen the specific music video in question, he asserted that artists have the right to use dance as a form of expression in religious settings, a universal heritage that holds particular significance in Islam. He urged people to perceive it that way and suggested that those who take offense have the right to boycott Davido's products but should avoid incitement and negative reactions.
The eminent writer urged the nation to focus on addressing the root issues of religion, particularly the sectarian appropriation of power over life and death, which affects believers, non-believers, and dissenters alike. He highlighted more significant concerns, such as instances of violence and injustice in the name of religion, emphasizing the need for righteous indignation and collective action on such crucial matters.
Soyinka's statement encourages a thoughtful examination of the broader societal challenges and calls for a deeper sense of responsibility and empathy towards each other's beliefs and backgrounds.