Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Davido, has revealed that it was his father, Adedeji Adeleke, who persuaded him to sue Kenyan media outlet K24 for a false April Fool’s Day prank.
The controversy unfolded on April 1, 2024, when K24 published a fabricated article claiming that Davido had been arrested at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Kenya. The article alleged that illicit substances were found in his private jet following his performance at the Raha Festival in the country. While many initially dismissed the prank due to its timing on April Fool’s Day, it gained traction, leading to concerns from authorities, including Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), which flagged it as a hoax.
In a video that surfaced online on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, Davido disclosed that initially, he was reluctant to take legal action against K24 over the prank. However, his father intervened, emphasizing the potential damage to Davido’s reputation and the implications for his international travel.
“My dad was calling me like, ‘Where are you at?’ I was like, ‘I am home’. He’s like, what’s this?” Davido explained. “And I see it on the net, and at first, I was like, no, I am not going to report it. Just let it go. It’s April Fools. Then my dad was like ‘no because you can fly a plane to any country now and then they bring 20 police to check you’…I haven’t seen that type of drug in my life. So yeah, I am taking legal action because it might just go the wrong way if we just don’t.”
Despite the incident, Davido expressed appreciation for his Kenyan fans, emphasizing that he had enjoyed his time in the country. However, on April 3, his legal team issued a demand letter to K24, outlining conditions to settle the defamation dispute. Davido argued that the false report tarnished his image by portraying him as a narcotics user and trafficker without evidence, necessitating corrective measures from the media outlet.
@musicindustryblueprint #Davido on taking legal action after an #AprilFools Joke. #artistbranding #musicbusinesstips #musicbusiness101 #afrobeats #Uganda #Kenya ♬ original sound – Music Industry Blueprint
