Award-winning singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has taken Sophia Momodu, the mother of his first child, Imade, to court seeking custody of their daughter.
In an originating motion filed by his lawyers, Dr. Olaniyi Arije, Okey Barrah, and others, at the Lagos State High Court on April 17, 2024, Davido requested “an order granting joint custody of Miss Imade Adeleke to the applicant.” Alternatively, he sought “an order granting the applicant unfettered and unrestricted access to Miss Imade.”
The suit, marked LD/1587PMC/2024, lists Mr. David Adedeji Adeleke as the applicant and Ms. Sophia Momodu as the sole respondent. Davido supported his motion with a 44-paragraph affidavit in which he recounted his past relationship with Momodu, which led to the birth of their child on May 14, 2015. He stated that despite their relationship ending years ago, they had agreed to co-parent.
Davido asserted his financial commitment to his daughter’s welfare, including paying all her school fees and providing money for the rent of the apartment where Momodu and Imade reside. Out of love for his daughter, Davido said he purchased a N200m apartment in a gated community in Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos, which he offered to Momodu. However, she rejected the offer and insisted that he continue to pay N5,000,000 annually for a rented apartment.
He also mentioned buying a Range Rover SUV for Momodu and Imade, and later, providing a Highlander SUV and N5.8m for the Range Rover’s repair after Momodu complained about its condition. Additionally, Davido stated that he has covered living expenses, nanny fees, medical and healthcare, insurance, and international travel costs for Imade.
Despite his efforts, Davido claimed Momodu has continued to make unreasonable demands, such as insisting on $800 per month for the nanny she hired and demanding $19,600 annually as a lump sum. He accused Momodu of showing him unwarranted cruelty and causing him significant distress.
Davido and Sophia have had frequent conflicts. In 2021, Sophia expressed her frustration when their daughter took Davido’s last name instead of hers. She shared on Instagram that she was deeply upset and argued about the decision. Her mother eventually convinced her that bearing her father’s name would benefit Imade in terms of lineage and inheritance, which made Sophia reconsider her stance but still left her with many unresolved questions.
