International award-winning singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has dragged Sophia Momodu, the mother of his first child, Imade, to court, seeking custody of the daughter.

In an originating motion filed by his lawyers, Dr Olaniyi Arije, Okey Barrah and others, at the Lagos State High Court, dated April 17, 2024, Davido is praying the court for “an order granting joint custody of Miss Imade Adeleke to the applicant.”

In the alternative, the singer prayed to the court for “an order granting to the applicant unfettered and unrestricted access to Miss Imade.”

The suit, marked LD/1587PMC/2024, has as applicant Mr David Adedeji Adeleke, while Ms Sophia Momodu was listed as the sole respondent.

The originating motion was supported by a 44-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Davido himself.

He narrated that though he had a relationship with Momodu that led to the birth of their child on May 14, 2015, the relationship had ended some years ago “while we resolved to take care of our child as biological father and mother.”

Davido said, “That it is on record that I have been responsible for the payment of all the school fees of my daughter to provide her with the best education possible and to meet all her educational needs without a hitch.

“That I have also been providing money for the rent of the apartment where the respondent resides with our daughter.”

The singer said that as a result of the love he had for Imade, he purchased and offered the mother a N200m worth apartment in a condominium gated community with a swimming pool and 24-hour power and water supply at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos. An offer he claimed was turned down.

He said, “The respondent rejected the offer to stay and live at the above-described secured Oniru apartment, which had been purchased already, but demanded that I continue to pay N5,000,000 annually for a rented facility as my own contribution towards my daughter’s accommodation.”

Davido said to ensure that the interest of Imade was well-catered for, “I bought a Range Rover Sport Utility Vehicle for the use of the child and the respondent to meet the transport needs, including transportation of the child to and from school, etc.”

He added that sometime last year, he received a call from her daughter’s school that Imade had been absent for two weeks, and upon his inquiry from Momodu, “She began to make excuses and complained that the Range Rover SUV was not in a good condition, however, she refused to inform me about that.”

He added, “That sequel to the information about the said condition of the vehicle, I provided another vehicle, Highlander SUV, and in addition, the sum of N5.8m as requested by her for the repair of the Range Rover SUV, making it two vehicles in the custody and use of the respondent and our daughter.”

According to Davido, to further ensure that the interest of their child was adequately taken care of, “I also made commitments to pay for living expenses, the fees of the nanny to our child, provide medical and health care, insurance, periodic international travel expenses and tickets.”

“That notwithstanding my efforts in the overall interest of my daughter, the respondent has continued to make outlandish and Utopian demands to frustrate me,” the singer added.

Listing the other demands allegedly made by Momodu, he said, “The respondent, among others, is demanding that I should pay the nanny she hired the sum of $800 per month, and that the total sum of $19,600 per annum be paid as a lump sum.”

Davido claimed that despite his contribution towards ensuring a better life for their daughter, “the respondent has continued to show me unwarranted cruelty, inflicting so much pain on me.”

Davido and Sophia have often been at loggerheads.

In 2021, Sophia revealed that she was pained when their daughter, Imade, took Davido’s last name and not hers.

Momodu revealed this via her Instagram Story when she reacted to a post about children bearing their mothers’ names.

According to her, she cried bitterly because her daughter could not bear her last name ‘Momodu’.

She wrote, “I remember my mom and aunties laughing at me when I was crying because my daughter’s last name wasn’t going to be Momodu.

“I was genuinely distraught. I was even arguing and everything, that they put her father’s full name and not a single letter from mine.”

She further revealed that her mother made her understand that Imade should bear her father’s name so that she could gain from her father’s lineage and inheritance.

She added, “It made me shut up real quick, but I lowkey had so many questions.”

esira:
The father or the mother, who is supposed to bring up a child ?

Justiceganduje:
Only rich people wins case in Nigeria, so Davido is going to win.

immortalcrown:
The article says, "joint custody".

esira:
The father or the mother, who is supposed to bring up a child ?

immortalcrown:
I don't judge with one-sided story, but Davido presents convincing points in this article. It is left for Sophia to counter those points.

All that glitters is not gold. But young girls aspire to become baby mamas like Sophia.

Those who claim that marriage is a scam can see that being a baby mama or baby father is a scam. Misguided ladies use being baby mamas as their own gold digging format.

Pepperdemisback:
What's the valid point here, he went to rent As house because Sophie declared he is now deadbeat and absentia. Why didn't he bring up the suit before renting the apartment. Can he tell the date he last visited the child? Can he prove he was locked out? He used to host annual birthday parties for the Children but even absent when the mothers host now for about 3 years straight now. The vehicle is quoting was on her 5th birthday, the girl is 9. He is a big liar and everyone knows that.

Pepperdemisback:
Where's Chioma's son that was in joint custody? Ironically, Davido's sister is doing same to her Baby daddy.

immortalcrown:
You are inconsistent. At first, you misinterpreted the post and asked an irrelevant question. Now, you want to deviate from the post.

immortalcrown:
You are inconsistent. At first, you misinterpreted the post and asked an irrelevant question. Now, you want to deviate from the post.

Odin13:
The momodus are running amok on this page

After all gibberish and trash.. David go still carry his daughter ... flex her till flex start to flex her..

Only una go tire .. old and worn out ..

Oga peppermint

Na you Dey nyash the girl?

I mean Sopia

immortalcrown:
It is left for Sophia to counter his claim. If not that you are absolutely sentimental, what do you have against my comment? Have I judged Sophia?

Pepperdemisback:

Dele wen disgrace Davido Papa still dey, Dem go collect round 2. Make e go compose another song again like the first one. No woman in his correct senses should leave a child with such a person.

Odin13:


You’re a noisemake

Online noise maker

Offline noise maker

Go and hustle .. to shook eye .. before e go blind on top nothing

Pepperdemisback:
Go back and read your comment again to know if you judged or not.

Pepperdemisback:
You are the one down with Comprehensive and Assimilation Syndrome. He kept Chioma's son the other time without she and the family's consent, what happened to the boy and where was he when the incident happened.
Davido's sister kept son away from Baby Daddy but The Adelekes are cool with it. They only want what they don't want from people because they think they can oppress.
If you still don't understand English, tell me your local dialect.

immortalcrown:
1.
This post is not about Chioma and her son.

2.
Davido, according to the post, is asking for a joint custody but you falsely claimed otherwise in your first comment.

3.
Instead of you to admit that your first comment misinterprets the post, you are now trying to shift attention to what the post is not about.

immortalcrown:
Come back to justify your attack on my comment.

esira:
The father or the mother, who is supposed to bring up a child ?