Sophia Momodu Accuses Davido of Abandoning Their Daughter for Two Years

Amid a heated legal custody battle, Sophia Momodu has accused Afrobeat star Davido of abandoning their child, Imade Adeleke, for the past two years. The accusation came to light in a response to a lawsuit Davido filed against her, seeking unrestricted access to their daughter.

In a statement dated June 22, 2024, issued by her legal representatives, Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors and Bimpe Ajegbomogun & Co, and exclusively obtained by Pulse Nigeria, Momodu detailed her claims against Davido.

This statement is part of her response to a suit filed by Davido’s lawyers, Dr. Olaniyi Arije, Okey Barrah, and others, submitted to the Lagos State High Court on April 17, 2024.

The legal battle, tagged LD/1587PMC/2024, lists David Adedeji Adeleke, known as Davido, as the applicant and Momodu as the sole respondent.

Davido claims he has been fulfilling his paternal responsibilities, including paying Imade’s school fees, providing transportation, and securing accommodation.

He also alleged that Momodu refused his offer to stay in a condominium he bought in a gated community in Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos, insisting instead on an annual ₦5 million rent for a different facility as his contribution to Imade’s accommodation.

Furthermore, Davido stated he had purchased vehicles for Imade’s transportation needs and claimed Sophia failed to inform him when one of the vehicles stopped working.

In her response, Momodu stated that Davido has not seen their daughter since July 2022 by his own choice and emphasized that she has never denied him the opportunity to see Imade.

She recounted their relationship’s two phases: from 2014-2017 and from 2020-2022, during which Davido provided financial support, covering school fees, rent, and other expenses.However, since their relationship ended in 2022, Momodu claimed Davido has made several threats against her for refusing his sexual advances.

The statement from her legal representatives reads partly:

“Sophia ended the relationship with David in July 2022. Since then, David has repeatedly threatened to make Sophia’s life miserable if she does not make herself available to him sexually.

“Sophia has never denied him the opportunity to see his daughter. He has not reached out on special occasions such as her birthday or Christmas for the past two years, which has left his daughter distressed and questioning why her father has cut contact with her. Despite this, David posts images of her on social media to falsely portray himself as a supportive and active father.

“Since July 2022, David has not fulfilled his financial responsibilities towards their daughter, leaving her school fees unpaid. Their daughter’s school has contacted him multiple times regarding the fees for the 2021/2022 school term and January 2023, with no response.

“Legal counsel was sought in February 2023, resulting in David’s father, Mr. Adedeji Adeleke, eventually paying the outstanding fees. Regardless of this neglect, Sophia strongly maintains that the most important support David can provide to their daughter is his presence and emotional support.

“David is in a publicly known relationship, and Sophia wishes him well. She seeks to move forward in her life free from harassment and verbal abuse.”