Kirk Franklin opens Davido’s Atlanta concert with prayer for Nigeria

Kirk Franklin, the American gospel legend, kicked off the Atlanta show of Afrobeats star Davido with prayers for Nigeria on Thursday.

In now-viral footage from the event at State Farm Arena, the 55-year-old award-winning hitmaker is seen on the stage transforming the concert atmosphere into one of reverence.

He led the packed arena in a heartfelt prayer, passionately calling for peace, healing, and meaningful progress for Nigeria.

The move provided a poignant spiritual prelude to an evening of celebration, uniting the crowd in a moment of shared hope for Nigeria.

“Father, I pray that increased mercy can reach our brothers and sisters in Nigeria. The hurt, the death, the trauma, the war, the loss, the killing, the devastation, that can make people break, make people cry, be destroyed, be defeated and live in fear,” he prayed.

“Help them to remember in the midst of all of these, that you have not given us the spirit of fear.

“God, we do not know why you allow some painful things. We do not understand… what we do know is that weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

“Everyone in Nigeria right now, no matter how hard life is getting for us, let us remember that no weapon formed against us shall prosper.

“God, I pray that you will use Davido. Use him Lord. Use him to touch people and change the world. Use him to open doors for the next generation.”

Nigeria has been gripped by a severe and escalating security crisis in recent weeks, marked by a relentless wave of bandit attacks and mass kidnappings.

Several students and members of staff from the St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger state were abducted by gunmen in the early hours of Friday.

The incident followed the abduction of 25 female students from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi state on November 17.

On Tuesday, a video of armed men attacking a branch of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Oke Isegun, Eruku community, Kwara state, went viral.

Davido recently condemned the attacks while expressing his sympathy with the victims and their families.

Davido also joined a growing chorus of Nigerian celebrities voicing their outrage.

Rapper Falz publicly called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to take decisive action, while actress Funke Akindele expressed shock over the viral video of the Kwara attack.

Actress Bukola Arugba also revealed that three of her own relatives were among those abducted in the church attack.