“David is a US citizen, I will request the US State Department to help,” says mother in Davido’s paternity dispute
The mother of a teenage girl claiming to be the daughter of Nigerian singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has disputed previous DNA claims and alleged irregularities in past tests, saying she intends to seek independent supervision from international authorities to establish the truth.
In a statement posted on her daughter’s Instagram account on Thursday, the woman, who identified herself as Ayo Labinjoh, said she was not fighting for her daughter, but that her daughter was seeking clarity about her identity.
She claimed the renewed public attention surrounding the case had caused further distress to the teenager, who has reportedly endured years of bullying and emotional challenges.
According to Labinjoh, her daughter, Anu Adeleke, fainted at school on several occasions and received psychotherapy due to the prolonged public scrutiny.
She said she has always been protective of her daughter’s mental health and that the teenager’s request for a DNA test was driven by a desire to know her parentage, not by financial motives or public attention.
The statement was shared as a caption to a screen recording that the mother said showed a private conversation between Anu and Davido.
The messages showed the singer denying paternity and insisting that DNA tests had already been conducted. During the exchange, Anu reportedly asked Davido to provide the results of the five DNA tests he claimed had been done.
Davido allegedly responded that he would publish the results online and in newspapers for public scrutiny, and warned that he would take legal action against the girl’s mother.
Labinjoh claimed that the language used by the singer during the exchange was abusive and amounted to bullying, which she said was damaging to her daughter.
She also alleged that the teenager had been misrepresented in the public discourse, and that past DNA processes had been mishandled.
According to her, a blood sample collected from Anu in 2014 was discarded without being tested, and the result later presented to them was false. She further claimed that individuals involved in the process misrepresented themselves and the outcome.
The mother said she now intends to request an independently supervised DNA test and suggested that international authorities could be involved, citing Davido’s American citizenship.
According to her, the involvement of external bodies would help guarantee that any future test is conducted fairly and without interference.
The controversy has been ongoing for years. In January 2025, Davido’s former lawyer, Prince Bobo Ajudua, publicly addressed the paternity claims. In an Instagram comment at the time, he said DNA tests had been conducted at two reputable facilities, including one chosen by the girl’s family, and that the results showed Davido was not the father. He described the continued claims as unfair to both the Adeleke family and the child.
Davido also reiterated his position on X( formerly twitter) on January 15, 2026, saying that five DNA tests had been conducted at different facilities, all reportedly negative.
As of the time of filing this report, no independent DNA results have been released.
