Renowned Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, has come forward to back Davido, advising the Afrobeats star not to issue an apology regarding the contentious music video of his newly signed artiste, Logos Olori.

Davido promoted the music video for ‘Jaye Lo’ on social media shortly after its audio release on Friday. The video featured men dressed in white Jalabiya dancing in front of a mosque, leading to widespread criticism from many Muslim devotees who demanded its removal.

Although Davido took down the video on Monday, he refrained from issuing an apology, which further fueled discontent among some youths, including former Senator Shehu Sani, who urged the artist to apologize to his Muslim fans.

However, Wole Soyinka expressed his disagreement with the demand for an apology in a statement. Soyinka highlighted the role of dance in religious worship, asserting that dance is an integral part of many faiths, including Islam.

The scholar recalled a past incident where he intervened in defense of former Governor of Kaduna State, El Rufai, for comments that were considered derogatory to Christians. Soyinka asserted that no apology was necessary in that instance and reiterated the same for Davido.

Soyinka also criticized the prevailing judicial system and urged individuals to boycott Davido’s products if they felt aggrieved, rather than demanding an apology. He emphasized that music was not responsible for the injustices and issues affecting the nation, calling for a more balanced approach to addressing concerns and seeking justice.

“The following should not be needed, but we appear to inhabit a nation space where memory deficiency has become an accreditation badge of competence in national affairs. I recall my intervention, several years ago, in an attempt to pillory former Governor of Kaduna State, El Rufai over some comment he had made that was considered derogatory to followers of Christianity,” the statement reads n part.

“There was nothing to apologize about, and that applied equally to El Rufai’s comments at the time. I disagree with Shehu Sani for demanding an apology from Davido on behalf of the Moslem community.

“No apology is required, None should be offered. Let us stop battening down our heads in the mush of contrived contrition – we know where contrition, apology and restitution remain clamorous in the cause of closure and above all – justice. Such apologies have not been forthcoming. In their place, we have the ascendancy of petulant censorship in the dance and music department. Just where will it end?

“Let us learn to read it that way. Those who persist in taking offence to bed and serving it up as breakfast should exercise their right of boycotting Davido’s products no one quarrels with that right.

“It was not Davido’s music that lynched Deborah Yakubu, and continues to frustrate the cause of justice. Nor has it contributed to the arbitrary detention of religious dissenters call them atheists or whatever such as Mubarak Bala, now languishing in prison for his 38th month.”

Recent protests in Maiduguri, where youths expressed their displeasure with Davido and set a banner of the singer on fire, further highlight the intense reactions to the controversial music video.

As the debate continues, Wole Soyinka’s support adds a prominent voice to the ongoing discussions surrounding artistic expression and sensitivities towards religious symbols in music and entertainment.