Nigerian rapper, Darlington Achakpo, popularly known as Speed Darlington, has released a statement to clarify the controversial video that led to his detention.
Speed Darlington’s lawyer, Stan Alieke, released a statement explaining that the video was made purely for entertainment and not to defame Burna Boy.
Speed Darlington was detained after a petition from Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ogulu. Days after his release, Speed Darlington’s lawyer addressed the situation, clarifying that the rapper’s words in the video were misinterpreted, especially regarding remarks about Burna Boy’s mother.
“Our client made the video purely for laughs and for its entertainment value, with no intention to malign or defame,” said the statement from the lawyer. It also highlighted that Speed Darlington did not foresee the level of public attention the video would attract.
Regarding the comments about Burna Boy’s mother, the lawyer explained, “The video which was said to have disrespected his colleague’s mom was a ‘misrepresentation of words’ or a slip of the tongue. If any remarks were perceived as disrespectful, such comments were unintended.”
Speed Darlington, who is known for his comedic content, expressed his respect for Burna Boy and confirmed that he had reached out to him privately to offer an explanation. “Our client has privately reached out to his colleague and his team in the spirit of brotherhood and to offer further clarification,” the statement added.
The rapper also assured the public that he does not support using social media to defame or disrespect others and is committed to setting a positive example going forward.
See full statement below:
