Dr. Adedeji Adeleke, father of Afrobeats star, David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has described recent paternity claims involving his son as unnecessary, saying DNA test results show that 12-year-old Anuoluwapo is not the singer’s daughter.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday, Dr Adeleke said while his son cannot take responsibility for a child that does not belong to him, “Anu deserves to know her father.” He revealed that five DNA tests, (three on David and two on Dr Adedeji’s nephew – Bayo) have been conducted to verify the claim, “but all of them have proved otherwise.”
In spite of the results showing Anu is not Davido’s child, Adeleke said he has supported her and her mother over the years. “I often send money for Anu’s school fees and her upkeep,” he said, noting that her Abuja-based aunt always sends receipts back to him whenever the money comes in and provides evidence of things bought for the little Anu. He added, “Up until last year, I sorted out the school fees while I stayed in touch with Anu’s aunt. This, David did not know about, because I did not discuss it with him or anybody.”
The long-running paternity dispute resurfaced in mid-January after Anu allegedly appealed on Instagram for a fresh DNA test, citing years of bullying and mental distress over claims that Davido was her father. Davido has denied paternity, saying five DNA tests at different hospitals have returned negative results. A leaked chat allegedly showed Davido threatening to take action and jail Anu’s mother if the matter is not dropped.
Anu’s mother, Ayotomide Labinjo, disputed Davido’s claims about multiple tests. She maintained that “only one DNA test was conducted,” adding that the 2014 test “was compromised at a clinic.” She called for a fresh, independent DNA test, supervised by the U.S. Embassy or State Department, citing Davido’s U.S. citizenship, to ensure transparency.
Dr Adeleke gave further details of the case, explaining that he first became aware of the claim in 2014 after receiving a DHL package from a lawyer, Dele Aiku from Ibadan containing photographs of Davido and the child, a birth certificate listing “Adeleke David” as the father, and a letter from the child’s grandmother. He said the grandmother appealed for a paternity test, stating she was not seeking marriage or financial gain. “She said her eldest daughter informed her that David Adeleke was responsible for her pregnancy after meeting him when he came to Ibadan for a show. She said her daughter gave birth to a baby girl and asked that David step up for a paternity test. She stated clearly that she was not asking David to marry her daughter, only to confirm paternity and take responsibility if positive.”
Dr. Adeleke explained that he personally arranged a DNA test at Vedic Lifecare Hospital in Lagos, with samples analyzed in South Africa. “Immediately I read the letter, even before speaking to David, I called the woman. I told her I hadn’t spoken to my son yet, but if the child was truly my granddaughter, she had no problem with me. I would welcome her into my family happily,” he said.
He described how the test was conducted: “Only David, myself, the grandmother, the mother, and the child were allowed into the room. Samples were taken using saliva, not blood, and sealed at our presence for analysis.” The result, when it came, showed a 0.00 percent match, conclusively excluding David as the father. “The DNA profile is clear. DNA will not change even if it is done ten times,” he said.
Clarifying the procedure, Dr Adeleke said, “So we were all in the same room, and he (the doctor) told us the procedure. It was not blood. I’ve read on social media that they were drawing blood. It’s not. It was not done by blood. It was from their saliva in their mouth. And he told us that these samples would be sent to South Africa for analysis. The grandmother of the baby and I signed that both of us would be the ones to receive the result.”
To eliminate any remaining doubt, Dr Adeleke said he suggested conducting two additional DNA tests at other reputable medical centers, covering accommodation and logistics for the family. “The grandmother broke down and cried. I told her mistakes could happen and suggested we do two more DNA tests at other reputable centres. I offered to keep them in Lagos for a week at my expense so additional tests could be carried out.” All tests returned the same result.
On calls for the DNA reports to be made public, Adeleke said, “It is dangerous for anyone’s DNA profile to be in the public domain.” He added, “What is one more? Is it that I cannot afford to take care of her? But there is science. And science is clear.”
He criticized social media personality Kemi Olunloyo, accusing her of impersonating the girl online. “She says she was my wife’s best friend. How can that be? I never met her,” he said, directly refuting her claims.
He concluded by urging the public to ignore online narratives surrounding the case, calling them “misleading and driven by impersonation and misinformation.”