Davido: Has music success become a bane for marital responsibility?

Male Nigerian musicians are some of the most successful artistes on the continent and beyond but the growing trend of having children with multiple mothers and scandalous sexual escapades arm critics with enough sticks to flog them.

Considering that Davido’s latest album, Timeless, was released barely three months ago, one would have thought that Davido’s domination of Twitter trends in the past week is a result of his musical achievements. Sadly, it isn’t. He has been trending because of his women-empowering exploits.

The Atlanta-born music icon has been on the end of some of the best sarcastic remarks you’ll find on Naija Twitter this year but more importantly, he provides the perfect timing to discuss the sexual and marital comportment of male music superstars in our music industry.

The events of this year are enough to raise an argument without having to go back in time to remind you of 2Baba’s many baby mamas, Wizkid’s own trail of having multiple mothers for his children or Yul Edochie’s distressing polygamous disputes, among numerous others.

2Baba is probably the GOAT when it comes to baby mamas and the attendant drama. His children are now grown-ups and after his renewal of nuptial vows with Annie Idibia, we thought we had seen the end of it until he publicly stated in season two of Young, Famous and African that:

“Like it or not, men are wired like that. A man would love a woman to hell… His dick would just decide something [else].”

He adds, in that same conversation, “He will fuck but he won’t even give a fuck about that person. He just wants to sort out that shit.”

When quizzed by Annie, his wife, who was sitting right beside him when making that philosophical pronouncement, whether that was him or what he believes, he emphatically says, “It’s what I believe!”

It’s hard to tell which was fiercer. how critics came at him for making such a statement or Davido’s trending alleged commissioning of pregnancies.

Anita Brown alleges being impregnated by Nigerian musician Davido

But more importantly, it causes an average person to ponder on the conduct of Nigerian music superstars when it comes to raising kids and starting a family. Going by the events of the past week and of years past, successful artistes seem to put more thought, effort and intentionality into releasing music projects than choosing a partner.

They can’t be blamed for prioritising music over romance. After all, they are the envy of women because of their success in the music industry. Without the booming of their craft, not many would die to bear children for them or use their fame for clout-chasing.

So, while the flocking of women naturally attends the success of artistes, should it be at the expense of children who will be raised outside a proper home, who will grow up witnessing public spats between their parents and will have inerasable internet evidence of parental ugliness hanging over their heads throughout their lifetime?

Single parenthood may be fast becoming a global trend but the demerits outweigh the merits, especially for the children. Some of the negative effects, as posited by scholars, include: emotional and psychological instability, low self-esteem, depression, suicidal tendencies and a repeat of the cycle.

With all these at risk, would it now be a crime to have a music star as a father? Without a doubt, there are a few examples of those who do not have children outside wedlock and still have their marriages intact.

However, this growing trend throws up the question if musical success has not indeed become an obstacle to successful fatherhood.