by Willy Okonji, Lagos:
Billionaire businessman and father of Nigerian music star Davido, Dr. Adedeji Adeleke, has publicly intervened in the long-running controversy surrounding a child identified as Anu Lupo, firmly dismissing claims that his son fathered the child.
Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, Dr. Adeleke said he convened the press conference to address what he described as recurring misinformation fuelled largely by controversial commentator Kemi Olunloyo. The paternity allegation, which has resurfaced multiple times on social media, has continued to attract public attention despite repeated denials from the Adeleke family.
“The reason why I called this press conference is for us to address this issue properly,” Dr. Adeleke said. He accused Olunloyo of consistently portraying his son negatively, adding that “everything she says about David is always negative, trying to put him in a bad light with the public.”
Dr. Adeleke disclosed that the matter first came to his attention in 2014, when he received a legal letter alleging that Davido had impregnated and abandoned a woman. “I received a letter in 2014 from a lawyer in Ibadan alleging that my son got somebody pregnant and abandoned the person with the child,” he said, noting that the family took steps at the time to address the allegation.
According to him, renewed concern arose recently after social media posts, allegedly written in the name of the child, began circulating online. He questioned the legality of such actions, saying, “I’m not even sure if it’s legal for someone to impersonate a minor.”
The business mogul further revealed that he was contacted by a woman who identified herself as the sister of Anu’s mother and who resides in Abuja. Reading from her message during the briefing, Dr. Adeleke quoted her as saying, “I just wanted to clarify that the account is not run by me, Ayo or my mom.”
He added that the woman stated that her family had long severed ties with Olunloyo. “The account is run by Kemi Olunloyo, whom we have cut ties with years ago,” the message read, adding that the family had repeatedly asked her to stop posting about the child.
Dr. Adeleke expressed concern over the emotional and reputational damage caused by the prolonged controversy, stressing that neither the Adeleke family nor Anu’s immediate family was behind the social media accounts pushing the claims.
The Adeleke family has consistently maintained that the allegations linking Davido to the child are false, while Olunloyo has continued to stand by her assertions.
Wednesday’s briefing marks the most detailed public intervention yet by Davido’s father, as the family seeks to put the matter to rest amid renewed public scrutiny.
