Nigerian music superstar Davido is once again at the centre of a public paternity controversy after a 13-year-old girl, Anu Adeleke, made a heartfelt public appeal for a new DNA test, claiming he is her biological father.
Anu's Public Plea and Emotional Distress
On 15 January 2026, Anu Adeleke took to her Instagram account to share a deeply personal letter addressed to Davido, whose real name is David Adeleke. In the post, she described the significant emotional strain caused by years of uncertainty surrounding her paternity.
She revealed that she faces persistent bullying at school, where classmates mock her claims about her father. This situation has caused her considerable emotional distress. Anu emphasized that seeking a DNA test is a crucial personal step for her to establish her identity and find closure. She noted in her letter that she had already sent the request privately via Instagram direct messages but felt compelled to make a public appeal.
A Decade of Conflicting Claims and Denials
This public appeal has reignited a paternity dispute that has lingered for over ten years. Anu's mother has consistently maintained that Davido is the father, while the artist and his team have repeatedly denied the allegation.
The controversy took a new turn in January 2025 when Davido's former lawyer, Prince Bobo Ajudua, made a public statement. Ajudua claimed that two separate DNA tests had been conducted at reputable clinics. He stated one test was done at a facility chosen by Anu's family upon the suggestion of Davido's father, Dr. Deji Adeleke. According to Ajudua, both tests confirmed that Davido is not Anu's biological father, and he labelled the continuing claims as "extremely unfair" to all parties involved.
However, these assertions were directly contested. On 9 January 2025, a statement posted to Anu's Instagram account by her mother, Ayo Labinjoh, denied that two proper DNA tests ever occurred. Labinjoh claimed they only visited a small clinic where she witnessed "money change hands in a brown envelope" after her daughter's blood was drawn in a private room. She accused Ajudua of spreading false information.
Public Reaction and Davido's Family
Anu's recent post quickly gained massive traction online, dividing public opinion. Many social media users expressed sympathy for the teenager's quest for clarity and identity. Others criticized the repeated public demands as an unnecessary intrusion into Davido's private life.
As of now, Davido has not issued any public response to this latest appeal from Anu Adeleke.
The 33-year-old singer publicly acknowledges six children from previous relationships and his marriage to Chioma Rowland. His known children are:
- Imade Adeleke (born May 2015 to Sophia Momodu)
- Hailey Adeleke (born May 2017 to Amanda)
- David Ifeanyi Adeleke Jr. (born October 2019 to Chioma, deceased 2022)
- Dawson Adeleke (born 2020 to Larissa London)
- Twins (born October 2023 to Chioma)
The unresolved situation with Anu adds a complex layer to the singer's highly scrutinized personal life. For Anu, a DNA test represents a potential path to confirming her identity and ending a long-standing familial question. For Davido, it continues a narrative examining the boundaries of celebrity privacy, public scrutiny, and familial responsibility in the digital age.
