WHAT happened yesterday, the 17th of November 2021, proves Davido to be a person in a league of his own. Davido asked for donations in an amusing manner, reminding how generous he himself has always been, but got a shocking response of love and loyalty.
David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido was born into abundant wealth but has lived the larger part of his life trying desperately to define himself outside his family's affluence. Born on the 21st of November, 1992, in Atlanta, Georgia, to businessman Adedeji Adeleke and lecturer, Vero Adeleke, David was supposed to have his life planned ahead of him as the child of true elite parents.
The youngest of five children, an American citizenship, British International School education, and a smooth transition into Oakwood University in Alabama are perks anyone would rely on. Instead, David chose to live for his one true passion —music.
Against his parents’ wishes, David left Oakwood University and moved to London and before flying down to Lagos to make music. The rest is well-known history. Today, Davido, alongside WizKid and Burna Boy, created the most relevant body of work in the Afrobeats genre. The audience of Afrobeats is now global, with its undeniable grip on the world in 2020, and Davido has become a global artiste in his own right.
So when the multiple award winning global Afrobeats star asks for a little help in cash ahead of his 29th birthday, it is only natural that he will get it. But how quick can a 100 million Naira fundraiser take place? For Davido, under 24 hours! In fact, Davido had over 50 million Naira as cash donation in less than one hour.
In his Instagram post, Davido said, “We rise by lifting others abi? Me I don dey rise dey lifting others for the past 100 years. So, I want to know who my friends are. All of my friends one one million Naira. They said we are 30BG. If you don’t send your own. You out of here. You are gone (sic).”
After posting that on Instagram, fans, friends, and industry colleagues alike made Christmas come early as Davido's call-out temporarily became the season for giving.
Zlatan Ibile, Adekunle Gold, Mr Eazi, Nengi, Chike, Teni, Charles of Play, Cubana Chiefpriest, Naira Marley, M.I, Phyno, Eniola Badmus, Nasboi, Sydney Talker, and Peruzzi all gifted Davido a million naira each.
Pasuma, Toke Makinwa, Don Jazzy, Focalistic, Ned Okonkwo, Ubi Franklin, Bella Shmurda, Friday Osanebi, Rema, Tunde Ednut, Larry Gaaga, Dorathy Bachor, Bizzle Osikoya, also joined the benevolent bunch.
His royal majesty, Oba Elegushi gave a magnanimous 5 million naira, while billionaire Femi Otedola and House of Representatives member Akin Alabi donated unknown sums of money.
The list of known persons seems endless, and his numerous fans cannot be counted either. At the time of publication, the donations have not ceased even after crossing the 100 million Naira threshold.
This magnanimity from fans and friends is not a fluke. Davido has always been generous with his influence, wealth, and success. He popularised the phrase "we rise by lifting others" and the singer will find it impossible to be modest because he has lifted more people than he can remember to count. Davido has earned a certain amount of respect that cannot be ignored. This young man has practically reached out to a no less than two billion ears.
Davido has found a way to belong to two worlds; the world of the elite and the world of the masses. It is the singer's ambition to remain great even after he steps out of his family's greatness that has brought him thus far. So he embraces both heritages. He embraces both Nigerian and American nationalities, he also embraces being a man of the wealthy and a man of the not-so-wealthy.
That's why he can be so loved even when he's so far away, that's why the singer isn't just a rich brat who is in fact a dilettante, and that is exactly why only Davido could have pulled this off.
