Adeleke Addresses Paternity Claims: 'Anu Is Not My Grandchild; Kemi Olunloyo Has Been After My Son for Years'

Adedeji Adeleke, the father of popular Afrobeats musician Davido, has dismissed resurfaced paternity allegations involving his son and a minor, Anuoluwapo Adeleke. At a press briefing held at his Lagos residence on Wednesday, he accused controversial investigative journalist Kemi Olunloyo of spearheading a long-standing campaign of impersonation and defamation against his family. PREMIUM TIMES was present to cover the event, which addressed the paternity dispute that recently reignited after the 12-year-old girl appealed on social media for another DNA test. During the briefing, Mr. Adeleke categorically denied the claim that Davido fathered the child and emphasized that the family has handled the matter transparently over the years. Setting the record straight, he remarked, “I have 14 grandchildren,” before detailing the history behind the allegations. Mr. Adeleke explained that the issue first came to his attention in 2014 when he received a letter from a lawyer in Ibadan accusing Davido of impregnating a woman and neglecting both her and the child. Taking swift action, he sought to address the matter directly.

Central to Mr. Adeleke’s statements was an accusation that Ms. Olunloyo had impersonated the minor online to spread false claims about Davido. He read a message allegedly sent by the girl's aunt, denying any connection to a social media account used to post statements attributed to the child. According to the message, “My mum or I do not run the account. The account is managed by Kemi Olunloyo, with whom we severed ties years ago. We’ve reached out to her multiple times to stop posting about Anu.” The business magnate further criticized Ms. Olunloyo for what he described as years of baseless and malicious attacks on Davido. Mr. Adeleke revealed that his family is considering legal action against Ms. Olunloyo to address what he said were sustained defamatory statements damaging their reputation. To counter the paternity claims, he disclosed that five DNA tests had been conducted over the years, all of which confirmed that Davido is not the biological father of Anuoluwapo. Offering evidence during the briefing, he shared results from the most recent DNA test, which indicated zero percent paternity and were verified with signatures from both him and the girl’s grandmother. In contrast, he noted, DNA results for all of Davido’s actual children showed a 99.9 percent match. Expressing frustration over the persistence of these allegations, Mr. Adeleke questioned why anyone would deliberately berate someone based on unfounded claims, deeming this controversy both unnecessary and excessive. He emphasized that if Davido were truly Anuoluwapo’s father, his family would provide full financial support without hesitation. As part of his personal efforts to assist, Mr. Adeleke shared that he had aided Anu’s family for years, even offering to sponsor her mother, Ayotomide Labinjoh, through school. However, she reportedly dropped out during her second year. He clarified that during this time, financial support for school fees and upkeep was provided through Anu’s aunt, who cared for her, her grandmother, and her mother. Mr. Adeleke confirmed that his assistance had been unknown to Davido, showcasing his commitment to resolving the matter privately. He dismissed any need for a new DNA test, asserting that prior results had already provided conclusive answers.

The long-standing paternity dispute became public once more in January when Anu posted a plea on Instagram for another DNA test, citing experiences of bullying and emotional distress. However, Anu’s mother challenged these claims and alleged that only one test was conducted back in 2014, calling into question its validity. She has since demanded a new test under independent supervision. In response to these reemerging claims, Mr. Adeleke reiterated that this case had been settled years ago, attributing the ongoing controversy to misrepresentation and online misinformation likely fueled by Ms. Olunloyo’s involvement. The journalist has rejected accusations from the Adeleke family and published what she described as documentation from a 2014 DNA test while continuing to assert her own version of events.