In the world of Nigerian entertainment, few stories have captivated public attention like the custody battle between popular musician Davido and his ex-girlfriend Sophia Momodu over their daughter, Imade. This high-profile dispute has been marked by emotional drama, public statements, and legal battles, reflecting the difficulties of co-parenting in the spotlight.
David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, is a renowned Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has gained international fame with hits like “Fall” and “If,” with a huge following of over 18 million. Sophia Momodu, on the other hand, is a fashion enthusiast and entrepreneur. Their relationship, which was once the talk of the town, resulted in the birth of their daughter, Aurora Imade Adeleke, in May 2015.
The custody battle began shortly after Imade’s birth. Both Davido and Sophia have made public claims and counterclaims, shedding light on their struggles to reach a harmonious co-parenting arrangement. The primary issue at the heart of the dispute has been the well-being and custody of Imade, with each parent seeking primary custody while alleging various shortcomings on the part of the other.
Shortly after Imade’s birth in 2015, tensions began to surface. Davido accused Sophia of being an unfit mother, citing alleged substance abuse. These accusations led to a temporary removal of Imade from Sophia’s care, sparking a media frenzy.
The battle took a public turn with both parties airing their grievances on social media. Davido’s claims were met with counterclaims from Sophia, who accused him and his family of attempting to use their influence to take Imade away from her.
As the dispute escalated, it moved to the courts. Legal actions were taken by both sides, with custody hearings becoming a focal point. Reports indicated that the courts eventually intervened to mediate and ensure Imade’s welfare was prioritised.
In various instances, temporary custody arrangements were reached. These periods often saw attempts at co-parenting, with both Davido and Sophia sharing time with Imade. However, the peace was often short-lived, with new conflicts constantly arising.
On 17 April 2024, Davido, through his lawyers, filed a motion to grant him access to Imade. The lawsuit, marked LD/1587PMC/2024, had Davido as the applicant and Sophia as the respondent. The affidavit attached to the motion explained his relationship with his baby mama, Sophia, and how it led to Imade’s birth on 14 May 2015. He also stated they had initially agreed to both take care of her. Sophia shot back by filing a 100-paragraph affidavit to counter Davido’s joint custody suit.
She stated that, “He always used the condition of my making myself available for his sexual pleasures, as a pre-condition to visit our daughter or show some fatherly love to her. The applicant apart from his cravings for sex only comes around to spend time with our daughter when he wants to use our daughter for his media stunts or promotions. The applicant has always been known to go away and stop communicating with our daughter, to stop making payment for school fees and/or payment of maintenance for our daughter, whenever I refused his sexual advances.”
Also, a paragraph contained in Sophia’s affidavit states, “The fact that the Applicant lost his son in his house in rather unfortunate and questionable circumstances shows that our daughter cannot be placed in the custody of the Applicant,” has sent social media into a frenzy.
Expectedly, stung by that paragraph, Davido took to Twitter to pour out his heart. He said, “Your constantly bringing up the death of my child at any point u can to just remind us of this tragedy that haunts us everyday of our lives .. Imade will grow up to see I fought for her .. as for now u can have her .. P.S she won’t be a child forever .. enjoy ❤️ Imade Aurora Adeleke! Your father loves you!”
Time will tell if Davido will actually be dropping the suit; however, the custody battle for Imade serves as a reminder of the difficulties and emotional toll of such disputes. As Davido and Sophia continue to navigate their roles as co-parents, the hope is that they can find lasting harmony for the sake of their daughter.
Written by Moyolagos
