- Davido dropped a pointed comment on Instagram targeting Paulo Okoye amid a heated debate about the state of Afrobeats in 2026
- The drama began after talent manager Bankulli pushed back against Paulo Okoye’s claim that Afrobeats is ‘dead or in a coma’
- Davido’s remark quickly went viral, drawing hundreds of likes and triggering mixed reactions from fans online
Davido has set the internet ablaze after firing a thinly veiled insult at show promoter and music executive Paulo Okoye during a public debate about the health of Afrobeats.
The Grammy-nominated singer jumped into the comment section of a post by talent manager Bankulli, who had taken a firm stance against Paulo Okoye’s recent claim that the Afrobeats genre is “dead or in a coma” in 2026.
Credit: @davido, @paulo
Source: Instagram
Without elaborating, Davido simply wrote: “PAUL O AKA PAUL BROKE.”
The short comment spread rapidly across social media, racking up hundreds of likes and igniting a wave of reactions from fans and industry observers.
What Sparked the Afrobeats Debate
The controversy traces back to a post by Paulo Okoye, popularly known as Iyabo Ojo’s partner, in which he suggested the genre was in serious decline.
Bankulli took issue with that assessment and shared a detailed counter-argument on Instagram.
In his post, Bankulli insisted the genre is not dying but rather evolving, describing the current moment as “a growth in sound shuffling.” He pointed to a long list of active artists, including Qing Madi, Ruger, Blaqbonez, Odumodublvck, Fireboy DML, Joeboy, Ayra Starr and Johnny Drille, as evidence that the industry still has significant momentum.
Bankulli also took a swipe at promoters, suggesting that frustration over rising booking fees may be colouring their judgement. In his words:
“It’s okay for you to be obsessed with booking of some other expensive artiste and can’t do so now for whatever reasons but to equate to that statement is not good my brother. Times have changed in the pricing regime of Nigerian artistes.”
He went further to urge stakeholders to invest in concert infrastructure and nurture emerging talent rather than running down the industry’s reputation.
Davido Weighs In
It was beneath that post that Davido chose to make his appearance, and his comment was anything but subtle. The “PAUL O AKA PAUL BROKE” remark, while brief, landed with considerable force online given Davido’s status as one of Nigeria’s biggest music exports.
See Davido’s comment below as he shades Paul O :
Credit: @bankulli
Source: Instagram
Davido takes a swipe at MC Oluomo
Legit.ng also reported that Davido waded into the simmering dispute between MC Oluomo and his uncle, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.
He took a pointed jab at the transport union chief in an Instagram story post on Monday, July 27, 2026.
The Afrobeats superstar addressed MC Oluomo directly in a brief but cutting message. Writing in pidgin English, he said:
“@kingmcoluomo dem say u Dey game … I doubt lol look ur mirror.”
Source: Legit.ng