Dele Momodu speaks on Davido/Sophia child custody saga

The custody dispute between singer Davido and his baby mama, Sophia, has seen a new development with Dele Momodu, a Nigerian journalist, offering his perspective on the ongoing legal battle.

Mr Momodu, who is Sophia’s uncle, in an Instagram post on Saturday afternoon, urged both parties to seek an amicable resolution.

The legal battle over the custody of their only daughter, Imade, has been ongoing, with both parties presenting their arguments in court.

On 17 April 2024, Davido, filed for joint custody and unrestricted access to his nine-year-old daughter, asserting his commitment to her care and support.

Sophia responded through a statement by her legal representatives, stating that she only “denied” her estranged lover access to her “body, not their daughter.”

Sophia

On Friday, Imade’s mom opposed the singer’s request, citing concerns about Davido’s lifestyle and past incidents that she believed made him “unfit for custody.”

Sophia’s 102-paragraph counter-affidavit detailed why the singer should not be granted joint custody, including his frequent travels, the influence of “unsavoury individuals” around him, and his recent marriage to “another woman,” Chioma Rowland.

The affidavit also highlighted incidents where Davido allegedly “failed to fulfil his financial responsibilities” and provided evidence of her role as the primary caregiver for their daughter.

Dele Momodu’s statement

Mr Momodu recounted his interactions with both Davido and Sophia regarding the custody issue.

The journalist expressed surprise at Davido’s court filing, noting that the singer did not mention any custody issues during a recent video call with him (Davido) and Pastor Tobi Adegboyega.

AARE DR DELE MOMODU on Instagram: “MY CANDID OPINION ON DAVID ADELEKE vs SOPHIA MOMODU By DELE MOMODU Last night, I received a distressing message from Mr David Adeleke (aka Davido). He was obviously devastated by the counter-affidavit submitted in court, earlier in the day, in response to his affidavit seeking a joint custody of his daughter with my niece Sophia Momodu. I had seen David’s affidavit about two weeks ago and I was very surprised as David and I had spoken on a video call days earlier, with him and Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, and he never told me he had any custody issues with my niece. So you can imagine my confusion to find out via social media and subsequently confirmed by my niece that he had filed an action in court seeking joint custody of their daughter. During the referenced video call, we were all very excited about his forthcoming wedding ceremony, an event our family congratulated him about. Prior to this, David had told me he eventually spoke to their daughter …
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“Last night, I received a distressing message from Mr. David Adeleke (Davido). He was devastated by the counter-affidavit submitted in court earlier in the day,” Mr Momodu wrote.

During the video call, the Ovation International CEO said they were excited about Davido’s recent wedding with Chioma, and there was no indication of any custody problems.

“This was an event our family congratulated him on. Before this, David had told me he eventually spoke to their daughter after a long lull of about two years.

“He was happy and excited. So, I thought everything was settled, and he and Sophia would now have the opportunity to take maximum care of their daughter. I offered special thanks to David’s dad, Dr Adedeji Adeleke, for his kindness and support for our daughter during David’s absence.

“I had also taken Sophia and their daughter to my dear friend, Governor Ademola Adeleke, seeking his intervention. To my knowledge, there was never a problem of ‘joint custody.’”

Mr Momodu detailed his efforts to mediate between the parties, including discussions with Davido’s father, Adedeji Adeleke, his uncle, Ademola Adeleke, and Sophia’s attempts to provide a stable environment for Imade.

He also highlighted issues such as “non-payment of school fees, accommodation, and nanny salaries,” which were addressed with the help of Davido’s dad.

“David’s Dad verbally offered, in his discussions with me, one of their family apartments in Oniru Estate, Victoria Island. However, maybe, due to miscommunication, David’s lawyers had communicated otherwise,” Mr Momodu stated.

He explained that Sophia declined the offer, feeling uncomfortable living close to Davido’s family due to their “unmarried status.”

Sophia’s concerns

Sophia had specific concerns about the environment Davido provided for their daughter.

“Sophia requested that David should pay half of the accommodation while she would pay the other half. David said he could only contribute N5 million annually,” Mr Momodu explained.

This financial arrangement was one of the contentious points in their dispute.

Mr Momodu emphasised the impact of the strained relationship between Davido and Sophia on their daughter.

“The absence of camaraderie between David and Sophia has caused this debacle. I have cautioned repeatedly that their daughter must not be allowed to suffer or be treated like a second-class child,” he stressed, underscoring the importance of “Imade’s well-being given Davido’s global status.”

Call for amicable resolution

Mr Momodu also emphasised the importance of resolving the custody dispute amicably for the sake of Imade.

“Sophia allowed David access to their daughter, provided she had her nanny around 24/7. The 9-year-old made this request, and I believe this should be favourably considered and accepted,” Mr Momodu wrote.

“The court yesterday referred the case for possible settlement by the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) section of the court during Settlement Week,” he stated.

Mr Momodu also advised Davido and Sophia to engage genuinely with the ADR process and avoid making harmful statements on social media.

READ ALSO: What I want from Sophia Momodu  Davido

“I strongly advise that David (and Sophia) engage truly with the process as opposed to making harmful and irreversible statements on social media that violate the law and the interests of their child,” he urged.

Mr Momodu concluded by expressing his commitment to ensuring a peaceful resolution and the well-being of his grand-niece, noting that he has tried his best in the last nine years to ensure amicable resolution of disputes and encourage both parents.