Speed Darington faces backlash after claiming viral video involving 15-year-old was publicity stunt

• Nigerian rapper Speed Darlington has responded to the backlash over a viral video in which he admitted to being involved with a 15-year-old a decade ago
• The controversial artiste claimed the footage was staged for content to promote his newly released single
• Netizens have weighed in on the controversy, while many believed and expressed that he should face the law, others have condemned his actions and dismissed his explanation as lies 

Controversial Nigerian rapper, Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, has finally broken his silence after facing backlash following his unsettling statement about a minor. 

The rapper took to his Instagram page on Wednesday, May 28, to apologise to the public for claiming to have slept with a 15-year-old virgin girl.

Although now deleted, Speed Darlington claimed the viral story was nothing but a publicity stunt crafted to promote his latest music release.

He also apologised to his fans and anyone who found the video offensive.

‘’All my followers pissed off about the video I recorded in which I spoke about me sleeping with a 15-year-old, I am an artiste. I need controversy to eat. If you are not trending, you are not getting booked. Simple. Nobody is booking something that is not trending.

“I have a new song now, “Village Girl”. The song is talking about f*ck this, f*ck that. This is my genre. I do not perform Christian music. When I dropped my song, I needed f*ck contents to push it,. That is what I was doing. Don’t give it more than it is supposed to have.”

“If any of you are offended, it’s alright. Apologies.” he stated.

The initial video, which was from an Instagram live session, showed the artiste describing in unsettling detail his encounter with a teenage girl ten years ago in a hotel. 

The video sparked immediate outrage and prompted calls for legal action from fans and notable online personalities, including Aproko Doctor, VeryDarkMan, and many others. 

The incident, which he narrated in Igbo language, also prompted swift reactions from the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

In a statement issued via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the agency clarified that the entertainer did not disclose the specific location of the alleged incident, but it has escalated the matter beyond its jurisdiction for possible action.

While netizens are reacting to this incident, another video surfaced online, which dates back to 2022, in which the rapper had, in an Instagram live, revealed an altercation he had with a neighbour who accused him of getting too close to a 16-year-old girl.

Netizens react as Speed Darlington apologises for statement in viral video

@Joshy_cross wrote: “Controversy to eat? Then you decided to choose minors. May God forgive you.”

@maasoroju wrote: “You need controversies to eat? No worry, you go chop beans for KIRIKIRI.”

@ladimoclothing wrote: “Then choose your "controversy" well not with kids. They are off limits.”

@ayinke_olaa wrote: “Apology not accepted. I can't believe he's not in cell already.”

@lammarvis wrote: “He's lying, this efulefu did all he said in that video, he has seen that would make him go down, even in he's live video yesterday, he said he ain't apologizing to anyone, there's someone that kept calling him to bring down a particular video in he's page down and make an apology he kept telling the person bro relax nothing Dey happy, I want the law to catch up with him this time, not everything should be looked away, it's would make the Nigeria security body be a laughing stock, police this is where you should flex your power now,catch this animal and lock IT Up.”

@b_uniqu.e wrote: “You can even tell that there's no remorse in this apology. He's just doing it due to pressure.”

@fine_nenye wrote: “Nah... He should be arrested for real.”

@victoriainyama wrote: “This is Absolutely Unacceptable.... Abuse is Acceptable? So the only way to get attention is to rant on how are minor bleed after being molested? Can he say that in America and still see daylight? Is that why he relocated to perpetrate his gross lifestyle?”

@cza_dd wrote: “This guy shouldn't be walking freely on the street, Young gurls will be in Danger. Pls lock him up nd throw away the keys.”

@shakar_el wrote: “He is feeding his Yeye audience who laugh at his contents, I hope him go knack one their sisters or daughters with desperate fame wey una dey give him.”

@kokos_trift_haven wrote: “You don't need controversial to eat I thought they say this guy na American citizen?”

@ladyque_1 wrote: “Apology not accepted. Do you even know how many damaged people defending him and cheering him up????”

@blackdepressionforum wrote: “He can be reported to American immigration. The US prosecuted crimes of their citizens no matter the location in the world. He is a naturalized citizen which means his citizenship can also be revoked.”

@shes_precious wrote: “For him to even stoop so low to use something like this as PR explains the type of person he is fr.”

@rich_hommie1 wrote: “Pro apologizing with pride.”

@blondzworldaesthetics wrote: “Lawyer has advised him. I don't believe this nigga.”

“I am back," Speed Darlington breaks silence after release from detention

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Nigerian singer Speed Darlington spoke out for the first time since his release from prison, where he spent nearly two months. 

The controversy-prone artiste was arrested in October 2024 during one of his performances and taking to social media, Speed Darlington shared his thoughts after his ordeal, igniting reactions from fans.