David Adeleke, the popular musician known as Davido on Monday denied joining in the protest to demand the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Davido denied joining the #EndSARS protest in a meeting with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu at the police headquarters.
The popular musician said during the meeting captured on camera that he was only in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) because of his fans.
He further stated that he arrived at the protest venue to calm his fans down.
It started when IGP Adamu requested that the number of persons attending the meeting be reduced.
Responding, Davido said, “The problem is that I really don’t want a closed [door] meeting. What is happening outside; they think I came here for a closed [door] meeting”.
However, when Adamu accused Davido, saying, “How can you come here for a closed-door meeting when you were protesting yesterday,” the musician said, “I didn’t protest. I did not protest”.
When the IGP insisted saying, “The point I am trying to make is at least you identified with the protesters yesterday,” Davido said, “I had to because they are my fans. I was there actually to calm them down”.
Adamu, however, insisted that Davido had already taken actions that projected him as playing a true voice for young people on the street, but that he had no problem with that.
“There is nothing to hide,” the IGP said.
He then stressed the agenda of the meeting be streamlined before demanding that cameras be taken down.
Watch video below:
https://twitter.com/bluegirlolu/status/1315623082468487168
Meanwhile, being one of the outcomes of the engagement with the police, Davido said he has been given go-ahead to set up an independent panel to evaluate disbanded SARS officers.
Watch video below:
https://twitter.com/instablog9ja/status/1315674958593482754?s=19
https://twitter.com/bluegirlolu/status/1315678721169387520
Also, many Nigerians, including Apostle Johnson Suleman have hailed the move by the popular musician, describing the move as heroic.
“What @davido did yesterday took courage..what he did today took wisdom…he might be 27yrs of age but he displayed the diplomacy of a 72yr old…he shouldn’t be condemned,” Apostle Suleman tweeted.
What @davido did yesterday took courage..what he did today took wisdom…he might be 27yrs of age but he displayed the diplomacy of a 72yr old…he shouldn't be condemned..
— Apst Johnson Suleman (@APOSTLESULEMAN) October 12, 2020
https://twitter.com/bluegirlolu/status/1315717952247914496
Davido legit told people to come join him at the meeting. He never made it about himself. People left him alone. Now he’s being criticized. Make una calm down #SARSMUSTEND
— DREYLO (@RealDreylo) October 12, 2020
How will you watch this video and not see that this people are trying to implicate Davido?!!!! pic.twitter.com/qy5YmKsxvp
— O’Toby. (@tobiaboyewa) October 12, 2020
https://twitter.com/thebigheadedman/status/1315656205642022914
Davido plainly said that he doesn’t want to have a closed meeting. We should appreciate him not condemning him. #SARSMUSTEND #SarsMustGo
— Toyor (@toyor_pr) October 12, 2020
Davido means well. But no matter how well I mean, I can’t treat a covid19 patient. I can’t make a No. 1 song. I can’t ball like Lebron. I’d be out of my depth. He needs to excuse himself and focus on joining protests and amplifying the voices of protesters #EndPoliceBrutality https://t.co/Y6dHRxRTrx
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) October 12, 2020