News

By Prosper Mene

Billionaire businessman and philanthropist Dr Deji Adeleke held a rare press conference on Wednesday to publicly address, for the first time, the persistent paternity controversy surrounding his youngest son, Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke (known as Davido), and a young girl named Anuoluwapo from Ibadan.

Dr Adeleke firmly dismissed the allegations that Davido is the biological father of Anuoluwapo, describing them as false and attributing their prolonged circulation to alleged impersonation and misinformation online, particularly by controversial social media commentator Kemi Olunloyo.

The dispute dates back to claims by Ibadan-based woman Ayo Labinjo, who alleged she had a brief encounter with Davido during one of his performances in the city years ago, resulting in the birth of Anuoluwapo. She has maintained that Davido abandoned responsibility for the child.

The issue resurfaced recently when an Instagram account purportedly belonging to the now-teenage Anuoluwapo appealed for another DNA test. Davido responded by stating that five separate DNA tests had already been conducted over the years, all returning negative results for paternity.

In his address to journalists, Dr Adeleke explained that he was compelled to speak out due to the recurring nature of the claims, which he said have caused unnecessary distress despite scientific evidence to the contrary.

“I am Deji Adeleke, father of five children, three boys and two girls. David Adeleke, known as Davido, is the youngest in our family,” he stated. “This is my first time addressing the press, and it’s solely because this issue keeps resurfacing annually regarding a young girl named Anuoluwapo in Ibadan, with Kemi Olunloyo continually alleging that David is her father.”

Dr Adeleke recounted first learning of the allegation in 2014, when he received a DHL package from Ibadan containing photos of Davido with the child, a birth certificate listing “Adeleke David” as the father, and a letter from the child’s grandmother. The grandmother, a widow raising two daughters alone, requested a paternity test, not for marriage or financial gain, but for confirmation and responsibility if proven true.

Moved by the appeal, Dr Adeleke said he contacted the family immediately, assuring them he would welcome the child as his granddaughter if confirmed. He arranged a DNA test at Vedic Lifecare Hospital in Lagos, with samples collected via saliva in the presence of both families and analyzed at a laboratory in South Africa.

Dr Adeleke and the child’s grandmother personally collected the results, which showed a 0.00% probability of paternity, conclusively ruling out Davido as the father.

To eliminate any doubt, Dr Adeleke said he personally funded two additional tests at other reputable facilities while covering the family’s accommodation and logistics in Lagos. All tests yielded the same negative outcome.

“The grandmother was emotional when the first result came out,” he recalled. “I told her mistakes can happen, so let’s do more tests. Science is clear.”

He declined calls to release the DNA reports publicly, citing privacy, security, and legal risks associated with exposing DNA profiles. “It is dangerous for anyone’s DNA to be in the public domain,” he emphasized.

Dr Adeleke stressed that the Adeleke family has no motive to deny a child, noting he already has 14 grandchildren. “What is one more? Is it that I cannot afford to care for her? But there is science, and science is clear.”

He concluded by urging the public to disregard misleading online narratives, accusing Kemi Olunloyo of impersonating the child and her mother for years to perpetuate the claims.

The press conference comes amid ongoing public debate, with conflicting accounts from involved parties. However, Dr Adeleke’s detailed testimony and emphasis on multiple independent tests aim to provide final clarity on the matter.