Veteran Nigerian rapper Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, popularly known as Ruggedman, has come to the defense of afrobeats superstar Davido, who recently faced backlash for his remarks about Nigeria’s struggling economy.
In a podcast interview, Davido warned Americans against relocating to Africa, particularly Nigeria, citing the country’s dire economic situation. The comment sparked widespread criticism, with many accusing the singer of painting the nation in a bad light.
Reacting to the controversy, Ruggedman expressed his support for Davido, stating that the singer's remarks were a reflection of Nigeria’s harsh realities. He urged critics to focus their energy on advocating for economic reforms rather than attacking the artist.
“Ok, Davido has said what he said. Moving forward, the government should fix Nigeria so nobody will say such again. All this barking all over the place is not fixing the nation. The hardship is too much,” Ruggedman wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account.
The rapper further emphasized that addressing the country’s economic challenges should be a priority to avoid similar criticisms in the future, stressing that blaming Davido does not solve the nation’s problems.
Ruggedman’s statement has ignited conversations online, with many Nigerians agreeing that the government needs to take urgent steps to alleviate the country’s economic woes.