Nigerian music star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has filed a suit against Sophia Momodu at the Lagos State High Court over the custody of their daughter, Aurora Imade Adeleke.
The suit, marked LD/1587PMC/2024 and dated April 17, 2024, lists Mr. David Adedeji Adeleke as the applicant and Ms. Sophia Momodu as the sole respondent.
Davido is seeking an order from the court granting joint custody of Imade and ensuring him unfettered and unrestricted access to his daughter.
Despite the end of his relationship with Momodu several years ago, Davido stated that he has consistently provided for the wellbeing of their daughter.
This includes paying all of Imade’s school fees and covering the rent for the apartment where Momodu and Imade reside.
However, Davido accused Momodu of making unreasonable demands to frustrate him.
He highlighted an instance where Momodu rejected his offer of a N200 million apartment in a secure condominium in Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos. Instead, she demanded that he continue to pay N5 million annually for their current rented accommodation.
“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 stated.
Additionally, Davido mentioned that he 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, yet his efforts were frustrated.
He stated that sometime last year, he received a call from her daughter’s school that Imade had been absent for two weeks, and upon his inquiry 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.”
He added, “That sequel to the information about the said condition of the vehicle, I provided another vehicle, Highlander SUV, and in addition, the sum of N5.8m as requested by her for the repair of the Range Rover SUV, making it two vehicles in the custody and use of the respondent and our daughter.”
To further ensure that the interest of their child was adequately taken care of, Davido stated that he “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.”
He added that “notwithstanding my efforts in the overall interest of my daughter, the respondent has continued to make outlandish and Utopian demands to frustrate me.”
The singer further accused Momodu of demanding that he 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 also claimed that despite his contribution towards ensuring a better life for their daughter, Momodu has continued to show him unwarranted cruelty and inflicting so much pain on him.
The entertainer, however, urged the court for “an order granting joint custody of Miss Imade Adeleke.”
