Speed Darlington Issues Public Apology As He Reveals Reasons For Claiming He Had Sexual Encounter With A 15-Year-Old Virgin Girl
Controversial Nigerian artist, Darlington Okoye, widely known as Speed Darlington or Akpi, has finally addressed the backlash following a video of him admitting to sleeping with a minor went viral.
The singer and rapper sparked widespread outrage on social media after he claimed to have had sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl in a hotel.
In the now-viral clip, which was recorded in Igbo, Darlington described the experience in disturbing detail, triggering public outrage and prompting calls for a probe into his conduct.
In response to the viral clip, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) announced they were investigating the matter. The DSVA confirmed it had escalated the issue to NAPTIP for further action.
Reacting to the controversy in a follow-up video shared on his Instagram page on Wednesday, the musician explained that his controversial confession was a deliberate tactic to attract attention.
He further stated that he is an artist and as an artist, controversy helps them sell. He went on to state that he has a new song that needs promotion and he had to put out videos of him talking about sex so as to push the new song.
READ ALSO: Outrage As Singer, Speed Darlington Seemingly Admits Sleeping With A 15-Year-Old Virgin, DSVA Reacts
He went on to apologise to his fans and anyone who found the video offensive. In his words:
“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 artist. 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. 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 need f#ck contents to push it. That is what I was doing. Don’t give it more like than it is supposed to have. If any of you is offended, it’s alright. Apologies.”
ALSO READ: Speed Darlington Calls Out Senator Dino Melaye For Making A Joke Of Peadophilia
Nigerians on social media have since called for him to be invited for questioning over the comments he made in the disturbing video.