Billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Dr Deji Adeleke, has publicly addressed the long-standing paternity controversy involving his son, Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, and a 12-year-old girl, Anuoluwapo, firmly dismissing claims that the singer is the child’s biological father.
Speaking for the first time on the issue, Dr Adeleke described the allegations as false, recycled narratives driven largely by misinformation circulating on social media. He specifically referenced claims amplified over the years by controversial commentator Kemi Olunloyo, which he said had continued to resurface despite repeated medical findings to the contrary.
Dr Adeleke said his decision to speak publicly was prompted by the persistence of the claims, noting that although he does not engage on social media, the controversy had lingered since 2014. He emphasised that the Adeleke family has no objection to accepting any child proven to be biologically related to them.
“I am the father of five children — three sons and two daughters — and I have 14 grandchildren,” he said. “If there is another grandchild, we will gladly accept them. But it must be based on truth.”
Recounting how the issue began, Dr Adeleke said he received a DHL package from Ibadan in 2014 containing photographs of the child, a birth certificate listing “Adeleke David” as the father, and a letter purportedly written by the child’s grandmother. According to him, the grandmother, a widow, requested only a paternity test and made no demands for marriage or financial inducement.
He said he contacted the family immediately, verified their address, and arranged a DNA test at Vedic Lifecare Hospital in Lekki, Lagos. Samples were taken from Davido and the child using saliva and sent to South Africa for analysis, with both families present during the process.
“The samples were sealed, and when the results came back, the probability of paternity was zero percent,” Dr Adeleke said. He added that the results were collected jointly by himself and the grandmother, and the laboratory clearly stated that Davido was not the child’s father.
According to him, the outcome deeply affected the grandmother, prompting him to suggest further testing to eliminate any doubt. He disclosed that a total of five DNA tests have been conducted over the years at reputable centres, all of which consistently ruled out paternity.
Dr Adeleke explained that the family has deliberately refused to release the DNA reports publicly, citing privacy and security concerns. He warned that making genetic information public could expose both Davido and the minor to serious risks.
“It is dangerous for anyone’s DNA profile to be in the public domain,” he said, stressing that protecting the safety of all parties remained paramount.
The controversy recently resurfaced after an Instagram post, allegedly from the child, called for a DNA test to address identity issues, bullying and emotional distress. Davido responded by denying paternity, stating that multiple tests had cleared him and describing the renewed claims as obsessive.
The child’s mother, Ayo Labinjoh, has disputed the Adeleke family’s account, alleging irregularities in the 2014 test and calling for an independent DNA examination, possibly supervised by the US Embassy due to Davido’s American citizenship.
Dr Adeleke, however, urged the public to disregard what he described as misleading narratives, reiterating that the family has acted transparently and in good faith since the issue first emerged. He appealed for an end to the controversy, saying the repeated allegations had caused unnecessary distress to all involved.
