Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has defended Afrobeats singer Davido in the musical video “Jaye Lo” of his signee, Logos Olori which attracted heavy criticism from the Muslim community.
The video, which brewed heated controversy, surrounding was described as disrespectful to the Islamic tenets as it was captured in a mosque-like scene with men in white Jalabiya who after seemingly observing the Sallah prayers, switched to dancing while they recited some Quranic verses.
Weighing on the matter, Soyinka, in a statement, said the clip which he clarified that he was yet to view, didn’t require any form of apology from Davido.
He made reference to the bank manager he rebuked for his apology over the Easter message which compared the resurrection of Christ to risen dough as a metaphor.
He maintained the DMW boss had nothing to apologize for, indicating people dancing in front of a mosque was not an offense but simply creativity employed to display the spiritual uniformity existing in mankind.
He knocked Shehu Sani and others who condemned the video while demanding an apology from Davido, arguing there were graver issues that happened in the country that required apologies but were never given.
The literary giant insisted the least the Muslim faithful could have done was to boycott Davido’s music without making so much fuss on social media.
He added there were so many other weightier issues that called for revulsion from the citizens citing the case of Deborah who was mobbed to death in Sokoto and Mubarak Bala yet languishing in prison for his 38th month.
The iconic playwright stated: “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.
