Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, on Wednesday, appeared on stage for the FIFA World Cup countdown concert in a customised outfit honouring the pupils and teachers recently abducted in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Turning his highly anticipated pre-tournament performance into an advocacy showcase, Davido spotlighted the security crisis in Nigeria, demanding immediate government action for the victims who remain in captivity.

In a viral backstage video clip, Davido wore a black leather jacket adorned with green circular buttons.

The customised buttons bore the individual names of the students and teachers recently kidnapped by armed bandits.

To distinguish the tragic reality, the names of those still held captive were written in white lettering on the green buttons, while the names of the victims who had lost their lives during the ordeal were written in red.

The singer also wore a white t-shirt with “NIGERIA,” boldly written on it, while “BRING THEM HOME,” was boldly printed on the back of the black leather jacket.

In an address moments before he climbed the stage for his performance, Davido expressed grief over the nature of rescue operations and urged the federal and state governments to hasten their intervention.

“Peace and love everywhere. May God be with the families of the abducted and the ones who have been killed,” Davido said.

“They still haven’t been rescued, we’re praying to God every day. We’re also praying to God that the government hastens, and you know… My country is going through a lot. We represent everywhere we go.”

The countdown concert serves as a major milestone ahead of the upcoming tournament. 

Davido was billed as a headlining performer at the official 2026 FIFA World Cup countdown concert in the United States, cementing his status as one of the primary cultural ambassadors for African music on the global sports stage.

The performance follows the announcement that Davido, alongside fellow Nigerian heavyweights Burna Boy, Rema, and Ayra Starr, is featured on the star-studded official 2026 FIFA World Cup soundtrack album.