The mother of a teenage girl claiming to be the biological daughter of Nigerian Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has challenged the credibility of previous DNA tests and alleged irregularities in earlier processes, saying she now intends to pursue an independently supervised test involving international authorities.
In a detailed statement posted on her daughter’s Instagram account on Thursday, the woman, who identified herself as Ayo Labinjoh, said the issue was not driven by legal or financial considerations but by her daughter’s need for clarity about her identity.
Labinjoh said renewed public attention surrounding the long-running paternity dispute had taken a significant emotional toll on the teenager, whom she said has endured years of bullying, anxiety, and psychological distress linked to the unresolved question of her parentage.
According to her account, the girl—known on social media as Anu Adeleke—has fainted several times at school and undergone psychotherapy as a result of the sustained public scrutiny. Labinjoh maintained that her daughter’s request for a DNA test was motivated solely by a desire to know her biological father, and not by financial gain or publicity.
The statement was accompanied by a screen recording which Labinjoh said captured a private exchange between her daughter and Davido. In the messages, the singer was shown denying paternity and asserting that DNA tests had already been conducted. Anu was seen requesting copies of the results of five DNA tests Davido claimed had been carried out.
Davido allegedly responded that he would make the results public, both online and in newspapers, and warned that he would take legal action against the girl’s mother. Labinjoh described the language used in the exchange as abusive and accused the singer of intimidating and bullying her daughter.
She further alleged that her daughter had been mischaracterised in public narratives surrounding the controversy and claimed that previous DNA testing procedures were flawed. According to Labinjoh, a blood sample taken from Anu in 2014 was discarded without testing, while a result later presented to them was falsified. She also alleged that individuals involved in the process misrepresented themselves and manipulated the outcome.
Labinjoh said she now plans to request a DNA test conducted under independent supervision and suggested the involvement of international authorities, citing Davido’s American citizenship. She said such oversight would help ensure transparency and prevent interference by either party.
The paternity dispute has lingered for several years. In January 2025, Prince Bobo Ajudua, Davido’s former lawyer, addressed the claims publicly in an Instagram comment, stating that DNA tests had been conducted at two reputable facilities, including one selected by the girl’s family, and that the results showed Davido was not the father. He described the continued public allegations as unfair to both the Adeleke family and the child involved.
Davido reaffirmed his position on January 15, 2026, via the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, stating that five DNA tests conducted at different facilities had all returned negative results.
The controversy has generated widespread debate on social media, with sharply divided public opinion. While some commentators have urged that the matter be resolved privately and with sensitivity to the teenager’s wellbeing, others have questioned the credibility of the claims and the motivations behind them.
As of the time of filing this report, no independently supervised DNA test results have been made public by either party. The Adeleke family has not issued any further official statement beyond Davido’s social media post, and it remains unclear whether the dispute will proceed to formal legal action.
