Davido Drags Sophia Momodu to Court for Daughter's Custody

Eko Hot Blog reports that award-winning singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has taken legal action against Sophia Momodu, the mother of his first child, Imade, seeking custody of their daughter.

In an originating motion filed by his lawyers, Dr. Olaniyi Arije, Okey Barrah, and others at the Lagos State High Court, dated April 17, 2024, Davido is requesting “an order granting joint custody of Miss Imade Adeleke to the applicant.”

Alternatively, the singer is asking the court for “an order granting to the applicant unfettered and unrestricted access to Miss Imade.”

The suit, marked LD/1587PMC/2024, lists Mr. David Adedeji Adeleke as the applicant and Ms. Sophia Momodu as the sole respondent.

The originating motion is supported by a 44-paragraph affidavit deposed by Davido himself.

He explained that although he had a relationship with Momodu that led to the birth of their child on May 14, 2015, the relationship ended several years ago “while we resolved to take care of our child as biological father and mother.”

Davido stated, “That it is on record that I have been responsible for the payment of all the school fees of my daughter to provide her with the best education possible and to meet all her educational needs without a hitch.

“That I have also been providing money for the rent of the apartment where the respondent resides with our daughter.”

Due to his love for Imade, Davido purchased a N200m apartment in a gated community with a swimming pool and 24-hour power and water supply at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos, which he offered to Momodu. He claimed she turned down the offer.

He said, “The respondent rejected the offer to stay and live at the above-described secured Oniru apartment, which had been purchased already, but demanded that I continue to pay N5,000,000 annually for a rented facility as my own contribution towards my daughter’s accommodation.”

Davido added that to cater to Imade’s needs, “I bought a Range Rover Sport Utility Vehicle for the use of the child and the respondent to meet the transport needs, including transportation of the child to and from school, etc.”

He recounted that last year, he received a call from her daughter’s school informing him that Imade had been absent for two weeks. When he inquired from Momodu, “She began to make excuses and complained that the Range Rover SUV was not in a good condition, however, she refused to inform me about that.”

To resolve the issue, Davido provided another vehicle, a Highlander SUV, and N5.8m for the repair of the Range Rover SUV, giving Momodu and Imade access to two vehicles.

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Furthermore, Davido stated, “I also made commitments to pay for living expenses, the fees of the nanny to our child, provide medical and health care, insurance, periodic international travel expenses and tickets.”

Despite his efforts, Davido claimed, “the respondent has continued to make outlandish and Utopian demands to frustrate me.”

Listing the other demands allegedly made by Momodu, he said, “The respondent, among others, is demanding that I should pay the nanny she hired the sum of $800 per month, and that the total sum of $19,600 per annum be paid as a lump sum.”

Davido claimed that despite his contribution towards ensuring a better life for their daughter, “the respondent has continued to show me unwarranted cruelty, inflicting so much pain on me.”

Davido and Sophia have often been at odds.

In 2021, Sophia expressed her distress when their daughter, Imade, took Davido’s last name instead of hers. She revealed this on her Instagram Story, reacting to a post about children bearing their mothers’ names.

According to her, she cried bitterly because her daughter could not bear her last name, ‘Momodu’.

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