Nigerian music star Burna Boy’s performance at the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and a video of his mother, Bose Ogulu, celebrating the moment have sparked conversations across social media, with many fans also revisiting Davido’s previous FIFA appearance.
Burna Boy performed the official tournament anthem, “Dai Dai,” alongside Colombian singer Shakira on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico. The performance took place before more than 80,000 spectators inside the stadium and millions of viewers around the world.
Many fans praised the singer for representing Nigeria on one of the biggest stages in global sports. Some described the appearance as “historic” and “legendary,” while others applauded his stage presence and collaboration with Shakira.
Shortly after the performance, a video surfaced online showing Burna Boy’s mother and manager, Bose Ogulu, celebrating with her son. In the clip, she affectionately called him “chief” and hugged him while saying, “Na wa for you,” as the singer laughed.
The video received warm reactions from many fans, with one social media user writing, “A family that supports their own will go further than any other family.” Another commented, “He did make history. He killed the performance.”
However, the celebration also reopened discussions about Nigerian artists and FIFA performances. Some users pointed out that Davido was the first Nigerian artist to perform at a FIFA event, while others compared Burna Boy’s appearance with previous performances by other Afrobeats stars, fueling the long-running rivalry among fan bases.
At the same time, Davido attracted attention for a different reason after he used a FIFA Countdown Concert to publicise the case of abducted schoolchildren and teachers from Oyo State.
The singer wore a customised black jacket carrying the names of 39 abducted schoolchildren and seven teachers, with the words “Bring Them Home” displayed on the back.
Former presidential aide Reno Omokri criticised the move, arguing that publicity may not be the best approach when dealing with kidnappers. Referencing former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, he said, “Publicity is the oxygen of terrorism,” and suggested that widespread attention could benefit criminal groups.
Davido did not respond directly to the criticism. Instead, he shared several photos from the concert and simply wrote, “BRING THEM HOME,” reinforcing his message.
His post divided opinion online. Some users praised him for using his international platform to draw attention to the abducted victims, while others agreed with Reno Omokri that such campaigns may not contribute to their release.
