Mavo apologises as backlash over past tweets intensifies

Nigerian artist Mavo has stepped forward with a public apology after old social media posts came back to haunt him, sparking heated discussions across the Afrobeats community.

The rising singer found himself in hot water when his previous tweets targeting major Afrobeats figures—including Davido and Ayra Starr—resurfaced online, drawing sharp criticism from fans and industry watchers. In his mea culpa, Mavo owned up to being an overzealous entertainment critic during his university days, before a crucial realization shifted his perspective: the superstars he was constantly dragging on Twitter weren’t even paying attention. That wake-up call prompted him to redirect his energy toward his own artistry rather than tearing down others. “I stopped criticizing and focused solely on my music and since then it’s been bliss,” he shared in his apology post.

The singer expressed genuine remorse for any pain his sharp-tongued commentary may have caused, acknowledging that his words “sadly, unfortunately & unintentionally hurt quite a number of people.” What makes his apology particularly interesting is his admission that actually meeting the artists he once criticized completely changed his tune—they turned out to be “amazing people” in real life, contradicting the harsh opinions he’d formed from a distance. He closed his statement by asking that love lead going forward, a sentiment that resonates as social media pile-ons become increasingly common in the industry.

The incident serves as yet another reminder of how the internet never forgets, and how easy it is for aspiring artists to become their own worst enemy before their career even takes off. Mavo’s journey from keyboard critic to humbled musician offers a lesson in growth, though whether the Afrobeats community fully accepts his apology remains to be seen.

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