By Crystal Ugoeze
Billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Dr Deji Adeleke, has publicly addressed the long-running paternity allegation involving his son, Afrobeats star David Adeleke (Davido), describing the claims as false and misleading.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Adeleke said the allegation that Davido fathered a girl, Anuoluwapo, in Ibadan had been investigated thoroughly and disproved through multiple DNA tests. He accused controversial social media commentator Kemi Olunloyo of sustaining the controversy through impersonation and misinformation over the years.
According to Adeleke, the matter first came to his attention in 2014 when he received a letter from a lawyer in Ibadan, along with photographs and a birth certificate listing Davido as the child’s father. The letter, reportedly written by the child’s grandmother, appealed for a paternity test, stressing that the family was not seeking marriage or financial gain.
Adeleke said he immediately contacted the family and personally arranged a DNA test at a Lagos hospital, with samples analysed in South Africa. He explained that saliva samples were taken from both Davido and the child in the presence of all parties, including the child’s mother and grandmother.
“The result showed a zero per cent probability of paternity,” Adeleke said, adding that despite the outcome, he encouraged additional tests at other reputable centres to remove any doubt. All subsequent tests, he said, returned the same negative result.
He rejected calls for the DNA reports to be made public, citing security and legal risks, especially given that the case involves a minor.
Adeleke stressed that his family had no reason to deny responsibility if the child were truly related to them, noting that he already has 14 grandchildren.
“What is one more?” he asked. “Science is clear, and the science says David is not the father.”
He urged the public to disregard recurring online narratives about the issue, describing them as false and driven by impersonation and social media manipulation.