Deji Adeleke Denies Paternity Claims Linking Davido to 12-Year-Old Girl

Billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Dr Deji Adeleke, has publicly addressed for the first time the long-running paternity controversy involving his son, Afrobeats star Davido, and a 12-year-old girl identified as Anuoluwapo.

Dr Adeleke firmly dismissed claims that Davido is the biological father of the Ibadan-based child, describing the allegations as false, misleading, and repeatedly fueled by misinformation on social media, including reports allegedly promoted by controversial commentator Kemi Olunloyo.

Speaking on Wednesday, he explained that he has five children—three sons and two daughters—with Davido being the youngest, as well as 14 grandchildren. He stressed that the family would not hesitate to accept another grandchild if any biological connection were ever established.

“I am Deji Adeleke. I am the father of five children, three boys and two girls. David Adeleke, known to you all as Davido, is the baby of the family,” he said.

Dr Adeleke explained that he decided to speak publicly because the same claims have resurfaced repeatedly over the years, despite him not being active on social media.

“This is my first time addressing the press. Almost every year, this story about a girl in Ibadan resurfaces, claiming David is her father. These allegations have been pushed for years,” he stated.

Tracing the issue back to its origin, Dr Adeleke revealed that he first became aware of the claim in 2014, when he received a DHL package from Ibadan. The package reportedly contained photographs of the child, a birth certificate listing “Adeleke David” as the father, and a letter from the child’s grandmother.

According to him, the grandmother, a widow who raised two daughters alone, claimed her eldest daughter became pregnant after meeting Davido when he visited Ibadan for a show. She requested a DNA test, stating clearly that she was not asking for marriage or financial inducement, but simply confirmation of paternity and responsibility if proven.

Dr Adeleke said he immediately contacted the family, assured them of support if the child was indeed his granddaughter, verified their address, and arranged a DNA test at Vedic Lifecare Hospital in Lekki, Lagos. The saliva samples were reportedly taken in Nigeria and analyzed in South Africa.

“David, myself, the grandmother, the mother, and the child were all present. Samples were collected, sealed, and sent for analysis,” he said.

He disclosed that the result showed a 0.00 percent probability of paternity, confirming that Davido was not the child’s father. He added that a total of five DNA tests have been conducted over the years, all consistently ruling out Davido as the biological parent.

“When the result came out, the grandmother cried. I told her mistakes happen and suggested additional tests at other reputable centers. I even offered to keep them in Lagos at my expense for further testing,” he said.

Dr Adeleke, however, refused to release the DNA reports publicly, citing privacy concerns, security risks, and the danger of exposing genetic data of both Davido and a minor.

“It is dangerous for anyone’s DNA profile to be in the public domain,” he warned.

The controversy recently resurfaced after an Instagram post, allegedly made by Anu, called for another DNA test, citing bullying and emotional distress. Davido responded by stating he had never met the child’s mother, described the claims as obsessive, and referenced the previous negative DNA results.

However, the child’s mother, Ayo Labinjoh, has disputed Dr Adeleke’s account, alleging that only one test was done in 2014 at a laboratory, not a hospital. She also claimed the samples were mishandled and results fabricated, calling for an independent DNA test, possibly supervised by the U.S. Embassy due to Davido’s U.S. citizenship.

Dr Adeleke urged the public to disregard what he described as misleading online narratives and impersonation-driven claims, insisting the matter had been conclusively addressed years ago.