‘We won’t accept a future filled with fear’ — Wizkid’s son speaks on rising bandit attacks

Boluwatife Ayodeji Balogun, the 14-year-old son of singerWizkid, has added his voice to the growing concern over the rising insecurityin Nigeria following a series of attacks and kidnappings. Nigeria has been gripped by a severe and escalating securitycrisis in recent weeks, marked by a relentless wave of bandit attacks and masskidnappings. Several students and members of staff from the St. Mary’sSchool in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger state were abducted by gunmen in theearly hours of Friday. The incident followed the abduction of 25 female studentsfrom Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi state on November 17. On Tuesday, a video of armed men attacking a branch of theChrist Apostolic Church (CAC) in Oke Isegun, Eruku community, Kwara state, wentviral. Tife, the young singer who now goes by the stage nameChampz, took to his X page to position himself as part of a youth generationthat refuses to be quiet. He declared that young Nigerians will not accept a “futuredefined by fear” and offered prayers for the safe return of the missingchildren and for the healing of the nation. “I speak today not because I am special, but because I ampart of a generation that refuses to stay silent,” the post reads. “We are the future of this country, and we will not accept afuture filled with fear. May God protect every child still missing and may Godheal this nation that we all love.” Tife joins a growing chorus of prominent Nigerian figureswho have publicly denounced the insecurity. Rapper Falz publicly called on President Bola Tinubu’sadministration to take decisive action, while actress Funke Akindele expressedshock over the viral video of the Kwara attack. The Grammy-nominated singer Davido also called for nationalsolidarity, urging Nigerians to unite and work toward a country where everychild can grow up in safety and hope.

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