Musician flies flag for African unity

When Nigerian superstar Davido stepped out on stage at the Scorpion Kings and Friends concert in Pretoria in a custom-made biker jacket adorned with the South African flag, he drew enthusiastic cheers from the crowd. It was a wardrobe choice that stretched beyond fashion or performance.

Davido, who expressed his love for South Africa on social media before the performance on 29 August, could not have made a better fashion choice.

“The national flag of any country forms part of that country’s identity,” said Prince Motaung of the subject group Political Studies and International Relations at North-West University (NWU).

“The South African flag, like any other, holds a vast history embedded with the concept of ubuntu, respect and celebrating our diverse cultures, popularly known as the rainbow nation.”

For Prince, Davido’s choice carried weight on a continent still grappling with divisions.

Desire to unify not divide

“Not only did Davido embrace our culture with his gesture, but he showed respect and fostered unity, especially looking at what has been happening on social media regarding Nigerian and South African artists,” he says. “This is not the first time he has shown a sense of wanting to unify; his actions spoke more than his words.”

Over the years, South Africa’s relations with Nigeria have been strained at times, shaped by xenophobic violence and mutual suspicion. Against that backdrop, the simple act of wearing a flag becomes symbolic. “Like the burning of a flag shows disrespect and can promote violence, clothing shows sincerity and the desire toward unification,” Prince explains.

September, being Heritage Month in South Africa, provides a moment to reflect on how such symbols influence identity. For Prince, popular culture holds real potential. “Music and popular culture can definitely play a meaningful role in advancing African unity beyond just collaborations, especially in reshaping the media’s opinion of relations between African states.”

Co-existing with respect

As both South Africa and Nigeria are home to leading music industries on the continent, collaborations between artists may signal more than chart success. They become demonstrations of coexistence, respect, and humility.

“This act has shown us that we can co-exist with respect,” Prince concludes.

A flag on a jacket may not resolve the continent’s tensions, but during Heritage Month, it underscores how small gestures in art and culture can resonate far beyond the stage.

For more information:

Bertie Jacobs

Bertie.Jacobs@nwu.ac.za

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