Afrobeats artist Davido has filed a court case against his former partner, Sophia Momodu, seeking custody of their daughter, Imade.
In the lawsuit, dated April 17, 2024, Davido’s lawyers, including Dr. Olaniyi Arije and Okey Barrah, requested the Lagos State High Court to grant joint custody of their daughter, Imade Adeleke, to him.
Alternatively, Davido asked the court to allow him unlimited access to see Imade.
The case, identified as LD/1587PMC/2024, lists Davido (David Adedeji Adeleke) as the applicant and Sophia Momodu as the respondent.
Davido stated that although he and Sophia had a relationship that resulted in Imade’s birth on May 14, 2015, they have since parted ways but agreed to co-parent their child.
Davido said,
“That it is on record that I have been responsible for the payment of all the school fees of my daughter to provide her with the best education possible and to meet all her educational needs without a hitch.
“That I have also been providing money for the rent of the apartment where the respondent resides with our daughter.”
The singer said that as a result of the love he had for Imade, he purchased and offered the mother a N200m worth apartment in a condominium gated community with a swimming pool and 24-hour power and water supply at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos. He claimed the offer was turned down.
He said, “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 said to ensure that Imade was well-catered for, “I 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, etc.”
He claimed that sometime last year, he received a call from his 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.”
Davido said: “I also 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.”
Listing the other demands allegedly made by Momodu, he said, “The respondent, among others, is demanding that I 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 claimed that despite his contribution towards ensuring a better life for their daughter, “the respondent has continued to show me unwarranted cruelty, inflicting so much pain on me.”
