It usually starts after a chart ranking is posted, then a blogger makes a comparison; within moments, timelines are on fire, hashtags trend, insults fly, old interviews are dug up, even family members are dragged, all in the name of “supporting” a favorite celebrity.

Social media platforms reward engagement and nothing drives engagement like conflict. Platforms like X (formerly twitter), Instagram, and Tiktok have become battle grounds. Fan wars trend, not necessarily because they are important, but because they are intense, and intensity keeps people scrolling.

In today’s entertainment, online communities form around celebrities like musicians, actors, influencers, defending them at all costs. In Nigeria, supporters of stars like Wizkid and Davido regularly clash online over awards, streaming numbers, and global recognition.

For over a decade, Wizkid and Davido have stood at the forefront of Afrobeats’ global rise, their hits dominate charts, their concerts sell out arenas, and their names open international doors.

Wizkid’s brand is often associated with calm confidence, and global cool while Davido’s image radiates energy, accessibility, and loud celebration.

For many young Nigerians, being “FC” (Wizkid FC) or “30BG” (Davido’s 30 Billion Gang) is more than a casual preference; it is identity, some people have it on their Profile bios, display pictures and all.

The two Nigerian artistes rose at nearly the same time, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun popularly known as wizkid, gained prominence in 2010 and David Adedeji Adeleke widely known as Davido in 2011. Both were destined to lead Nigeria’s Afrobeats revolution. For a while they were friends, and it played nice.

The spark that ignited a decade-long rift came in July 2014; Wizkid had an electrifying performance in New York and he tweeted on X: “ Proper show, Proper Venues”. The internet erupted, because Davido had just finished his New York concert series, and fans immediately interpreted this a diss.

Wizkid later denied the shade in a 2016 interview, claiming he was venting about poor sound systems at a previous show. Davido, however was not buying it, insisting in his own interview that the tweet was absolutely about him.

In 2017, the cold war heated up dramatically, when Davido featured on Olamide’s “Summer Body” and dropped bars that seemed aimed at wizkid; “with yankee passport dem say we local, you better catch up I’ll see you later.”

Wizkid clapped back when he tweeted: “My people make una remember to say Yankee passport no be baba blue, e no dey cure frog voice”. A savage reference to Davido’s American citizenship and singing voice that sent shockwaves through X. But words were not enough, their fans clashed physically at the One Music fest in Dubai.

In 2018, Davido revealed during another interview that they had settled their ‘beef’ after things “got physical between our fans.” They even performed at each other’s concerts that year, giving fans hope, but the peace was temporary.

Then came Wizkid in 2020 after the release of his acclaimed “Made In Lagos” album; he ignored Davido’s congratulatory post while acknowledging other artists, which looked like a deliberate snub that reignited the tensions online.

The feud reached its ugliest point in April 2024 when Wizkid posted a video of Davido crying and begging on his knees, mocking fans who were asking for new music. Davido fired back, calling Wizkid a “sick man” and challenging him to drop a solo track. Wizkid responded that he could retire today and Davido would still have nothing on him.

Most recently, in October 2024, Wizkid called Davido “wack” with “no talent” after Davido teased new music, proving that even after a decade, the rift as not been settled. Davido admitted in a 2023 interview that fan bases fuel most of the issues between them with Wizkid FC and 30BG, their respective armies, turning every minor slight into a declaration of war.

Sources suggest Davido’s absence from Wizkid mother’s burial deeply hurt him, while tensions with mutual connections like Tiwa Savage have added fuel.

Fan wars were once harmless rivalry, but today they often blur the line between passion and aggression. The ongoing tension between Wizkid and Davido shows how quickly admiration can turn into hostility when supporters choose conflict over celebration.

Music is meant to connect people, not divide them. True support uplifts an artiste without tearing another down. If loyalty becomes violent, then it stops being love, and starts becoming the problem.