Wizkid faces backlash over 2010 tweet of him crushing on a 14-year-old girl

A series of controversial old tweets from Afrobeats superstar Wizkid have resurfaced on social media, sparking widespread outrage and accusations of predatory behaviour.

The unearthed tweets, posted in January 2010, capture a then-20-year-old Wizkid expressing his attraction to a girl who had visited his former record label EME.

In the initial post, he expressed his disappointment upon learning her true age, writing, “Damn!!! dis girl is tooooooo cuteeeeeeeeeee!!… but she’s 14! crying… she looks 19! crying”.

In a follow-up tweet, the “Ojuelegba” singer suggested he might overlook the age gap, stating, “Dis girl too cute, I go bone age, kai”.

The conversation at the time also involved his then-label boss Banky W, who referenced the incident in a tweet.

Cautioning his signee, Banky W wrote, “So @wizkidayo likes this cute girl that came to say hi. Except she’s 14. I’ve told him EME no get rkelly money yet ohhhh,” a clear nod to the R. Kelly child sexual abuse scandal.

The rediscovery of the posts led users to uncover other alleged tweets from Wizkid, some dating back to 2009, which contained similarly alarming statements.

One purported post from 2024 read, “Might need small girls for my next shoot, I love them kids”.

Since the posts began circulating, Wizkid appeared to have deleted them from his X account. The incident has ignited a firestorm online, with the public reaction sharply divided.

Many users have condemned the singer, labelling him a “pervert” and a “pedophile,” and expressing horror at the nature of the comments, particularly the suggestion of disregarding a child’s age.

However, a contingent of defenders has argued that the 2010 exchange shows a young man who, despite finding someone physically attractive, was ultimately acknowledging the legal and moral boundary when he expressed frustration that the girl was 14 and not 19.

They contend the “I go bone age” comment was a crude joke, not a statement of intent.

Below are some of the reactions:

(The Cable)