Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has expressed his support for popular Afrobeat artist, David Adeleke, also known as Davido, amid calls from some Muslims for an apology over an alleged offensive video clip shared on his social media pages last week.

The video in question featured men dressed as praying mallams dancing in front of a mosque as part of the promotion for Logos Olori’s new song, ‘Jaye Lo.’ This sparked controversy, with some Muslims demanding an apology from Davido.

In a letter titled “Davido Video” released on Tuesday, Soyinka dismissed the notion that dancing in front of a mosque is a provocative act. Instead, he views it as an “affirmation of the unified sensibility of the spiritual in human.”

Soyinka does acknowledge that he has not personally seen the video clip but firmly supports the artist’s right to use dance in a religious setting, considering it a fundamental freedom for all artists. He argues that dancing around a religious space is a universal heritage and, in the case of Islam, a plot of land can become a sacral space for worship.

Regarding the calls for an apology, Soyinka disagrees with Senator Sheu Sani and other aggrieved Muslims, stating that no apology is required, and none should be offered. He advises against resorting to contrived contrition and encourages society to focus on pursuing justice instead.

Soyinka also points out that Davido’s music is not responsible for the injustices and incidents of violence related to religious dissent in society. He highlights the lynching of Deborah Samuel Yakubu and the imprisonment of atheists like Mubarak Bala as real issues that should provoke collective anger and action.