When the news broke that Governor Seyi Makinde had purchased a large portion of the tickets for Davido’s Ibadan concert, I anticipated a massive crowd. Yet, the turnout was far larger than I expected.
The entire street surrounding the venue was filled with people, leaving hardly any space for cars to navigate. Thousands from across Oyo State and other parts of the country had travelled to Ibadan to experience the third stop of the Nigerian leg of Davido’s ‘5ive Alive Tour.’
My experience started at the gate, where a young soldier assaulted me, believing I was recording him while I was actually on a video call. My statement, “I was not recording you,” infuriated the soldier, who took exception to my “tone” and the fact that I did not cower in his sight.
The encounter left me with a damaged wristwatch and a bruise on my wrist. I immediately reported the situation to the military personnel stationed near the gate.
The leading officer on duty, Sergeant Isa, swiftly ordered that the young soldier be identified. I received an apology, and the Sergeant’s display of professionalism eased my anger.
Now that it’s all over, I can share this story.
A young soldier approached me at the ticketing stand of Davido’s concert after he thought I was recording him.
After I told him I wasn’t recording him and showed him I was on a video call, he took exemption to how I sounded.… pic.twitter.com/N6kRNhmVs0— ADEAYO (@ade_adeayo) November 10, 2025
I and four of my colleagues made the trip from Lagos for this concert. It was my first-ever concert in Ibadan and my first in a stadium. My curiosity and excitement were high, and I refused to let the abuse of power by a misguided young soldier ruin my experience before it even began.
It was just past 4PM, and already thousands were waiting to get into the stadium. I was mentally ready for the concert, but first, I needed to carry out a ritual for every tourist visiting Ibadan. After collecting the media passes for the Pulse team, we headed to a buka to get amala.
When we returned to the stadium around 6PM, it took ten minutes to navigate the sea of people attempting to gain entry. Anticipating the large crowd, the organisers had, commendably, collaborated with the government to provide sufficient security for crowd management.
At the red carpet, the energy was high. We spoke to several fans who sang their favourite Davido songs and celebrated his recent Grammy nomination. Inside the stadium, hypeman Ayo Santos was already on stage, raising the energy with an engaging performance.
I walked across the pitch, soaking in the moment and interacting with the audience. For many, this was their first Davido concert, and this shared excitement unified them. A Davido concert in Ibadan and a stadium concert in Nigeria are rarities, making the night a first for many, including me.
As the night wore on, hypemen Ayo Santos, MIA, and Jerry Shaffer kept the show running while performances from artists including Dremo and Mayorkun raised anticipation for what was shaping up to be an incredible night.
It was 1:45 AM when Davido finally climbed the stage. His uncle, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, and the Host Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State had just taken their seats.
H.E Governor Seyi Makinde and Osun State Governor, H.E Ademola Adeleke were in attendance at Davido's #Davido5iveAlive concert in Ibadan. pic.twitter.com/cxqY1fOXNt
— Olamide (@Iam_lammy) November 10, 2025
Even though I was suffering from the fatigue of being out for hours, when he climbed the stage, the atmosphere around me instantly changed. He transmitted an energy that transformed the stadium into an otherworldly realm.
Draped in a flowing Aso Oke robe, paired with the famous Fila Abeti Aja (the cap with the flappy wings like a dog’s ears) and with a gangan drum hanging on his shoulder, the sight was regal, mystical, and felt like a recreation of a historic moment of Yoruba folklore. It was as if the stadium became a massive village square where thousands of Ibadan sons and daughters gathered to welcome a triumphant warrior whose conquest had brought them pride and honour.
All around me, fans, both young and old, cheered loudly, some crying, others screaming in pure delight. The emotions were palpable, and although I could only see close faces in the sea of the crowd, I could tell the emotions were the same around the stadium.
‘Anything’ off Davido’s fifth album, ‘5ive,’ is his song of victory, and that was the tune that announced his triumphant entry into a packed Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, where tens of thousands gathered in what was one of the largest crowds I have ever seen at a Nigerian music concert.
360 view of Davido’s show in Ibadan, when I said the stadium was filled to the brim, I no Dey whine una o, no be play play for here 😂✨🎊 pic.twitter.com/3GL2bae7DA
— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) November 10, 2025
Just before he climbed the stage, I shared a post on X, stating my concern about his delayed appearance. It was not until he climbed the stage that I remembered he had performed in Dubai barely twelve hours earlier and had to make the eight-hour trip back to Nigeria in time for the concert.
Despite being a staunch admirer of his professionalism and stagemanship, I wondered if he would have the strength to give Ibadan the performance their energy and love deserved. Davido’s opening ten-minute set, which included a breathtaking performance of his classics ‘Dami Duro’ and ‘Aye,’ cleared me of any doubt about his capacity to deliver.
For three hours, Davido and his stellar band, The Kingsmen, delivered a breathtaking set that included some brilliant reimaginations of his classics. From ‘Kante’ to ‘Awuke,’ from ‘Gobe’ to ‘Na Money,’ from ‘10 Kilo’ to ‘Lately,’ song after song, thousands sang every lyric at the top of their voices, and the ground under me quaked as we danced to hits that populate his catalogue.
