Davido: Nigeria’s system must change before I venture into politics

Davido, a multiple-award winner, says there has to be a complete rejig of Nigeria’s electoral system if he is to venture into politics.

The Afropop singer, 27, spoke in an interview with Beat FM on Friday, following the end of his short-lived media hiatus, which led to the release of his single ‘FEM’.

“Before I go into politics, they have to change the whole system. I’m not going to hustle and win the election, be sitting in my office then they will now take me to court and later tell me I did not win,” he said.

Last year, Davido had decried the pronouncement that led to Ademola Adeleke, his uncle, being defeated during the 2018 election in Ogun after the appeal court in Abuja ruled in favour of Gboyega Oyetola.

On delay in releasing ‘A Better Time’ album

“I was on tour and had decided to ride on ‘A Good Time’ album until 2021. But I figured out that six of the songs on it had been released before the album,” he said.

‘Blow my Mind’, ‘Risky’, ‘If’, ‘Fall’, ‘Assurance’ were already out. I didn’t feel like it was a complete brand new album. So immediately I came back from the tour, we just started recording.

“Now, I dropped a song from A Better Time ‘Fem’. It a 17-track album so we’re going to get like 16 new songs. Obviously Nicki Minaj is on it.

“It (A Better Time) will come out before December. I’ve submitted my album. The reason for the delay was that, firstly, I wanted to go away. I didn’t want to drop an album in heat of the crisis.

“Then we were still confused. I wanted time to really figure out. But now people know how to move. If I had dropped in July, I won’t be in the studios granting interviews.

“Also, I wanted it close to Christmas. Another thing is that on the album cover is my son. His birthday is in October. At the party, I want to be able to show him. I had to consider that as well.”

Hiatus: Being on the go for nine years took a toll on me, says Davido

“I mean it was just a lot going on. I had been on the go for nine years —music, touring, this, that. And it took a toll on me. At some point, I was like, ‘I think I need a break’,” the singer said.

“I didn’t want it to end in me breaking down, because I’m a strong person. If I break down, imagine what will happen to how many people I’m taking care of. They will break down as well.

“So I needed to just move away, regroup and it helped. It had gotten to a point when I used to wake up at 9pm because I just didn’t want to get out of bed. I record all night because I can’t still.

“I had things on my mind, things to do. It was just a lot. Then there was corona. I’d never been at home for that long. So I was like, ‘If I’m going to do this, I have to get off social media’.

“All my handles, everything is almost 50 million. It’s a lot of people. Stepping back helped me.”

Davido also said that the COVID-19 safety precautions have kept him off the clubs while making the project for fear of being infected, even as he considers himself to have a strong immune system.

“I move to Banana Island, went to America. I was in LA; we rested there. That’s where I recorded my album. I’ve been tested four times so I’m trying to be careful about where I go,” he added.

“My dad called me and I was like, ‘Anywhere I go standing outside, a thousand are going to come. The only way is if I stay in my room.’ My own immune system is strong but I’m still scared of it.

“We’re careful at home, social distancing. Even when we’re flying, we show our tests, wear our masks on the plane—even when going to America, landing, and coming back.

“It’s just crazy because there are no shows. For me, I was more creative because I wasn’t worried about rushing music just to go to the clubs. I miss the clubs; I’ve not been there in four months.”