By Frank Kamuntu
Grammy-nominated singer Davido has denied rumours of an arrest in Uganda and Kenya. He shared a post on his X page, imploring fans and followers to disregard the false rumors.
The singer noted that he has never been arrested by anyone for any crime abroad or at home. He further stated that his lawyers were seeking legal recourse against the media houses that published the report.
According to him: “Fam, it has come to my attention that false information regarding an arrest circulated online on April 1st, which has since led to a barrage of calls. I want to assure my fans that these ports are entirely untrue.
“I successfully completed my scheduled shows in Uganda and Kenya and have since returned home to Nigeria. I’d also like to note that I have never been arrested by anyone in any country for any crime in the world. Not my home Nigeria, my home America, or any of the hundreds of countries I have made home throughout my career.
“I find the fabrication of allegations of such international crimes extremely irresponsible regardless of the light of ‘April Fools’ ,and my lawyer is seeking legal recourse against the media parties responsible for this misinformation. Thank you for your continued support. Our blessings are from God. I love you all. Sincerely, Davido”.
Davido concert in Kenya and Uganda was big news to East Africa after years of no-show to the region. He indeed flew the Afro beats flag high in this part of Africa where Nigerian music enjoys massive airplay.
His return to East Africa comes nearly a year after the release of his fourth studio album ‘Timeless’ which has enjoyed huge commercial success. It debuted at position 37 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 17,000 units in its first week after release. It then rose to position 10 on the UK Albums Chart, making it the second Nigerian album to ever debut in the top 10.
While on Davido concert in Kenya and Uganda; the ‘Unavailable’ hitmaker performed at the Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi on March 30. He was headlining Raha Fest, one of Kenya’s biggest music festivals in 2024. The music fest seeks to give Kenyans a unique Nigerian music experience with a wholesome art and cultural feel on top of the musical performance.
This was the third time that Davido performed in Kenya since he debuted his music career in 2011. He had last performed in Kenya in 2018 at the 30 Billion World Tour Concert.
The ‘Timeless Concert Kampala’ was Davido’s fourth appearance in Kampala in the last 11 years. He had last performed here in 2013, 2014 and 2019.
Although it seemed usual with Davido concert in Kenya and Uganda, it called for a massive investment. His soaring global recognition has seen Davido increase his performance fee three-fold to $600,000 for one show.
In contrast, he charged a little less than $200,000 for a single show five years ago. He told American jewellery company Icebox in a YouTube interview in 2023 that many promoters cannot afford his asking price. He has fewer shows but they are all worth it.
