By Nsikak Nseyen
Popular singer, David Adeleke, AKA Davido, has dragged Sophia Momodu, the mother of his first child, Imade, to court, seeking joint custody of their daughter.
The suit was filed by Davido’s lawyers, Olaniyi Arije, Okey Barrah and others, at the Lagos State High Court, dated April 17, 2024.
Davido also prayed the court for “an order granting him unfettered and unrestricted access to Miss Imade.
The suit, marked LD/1587PMC/2024, has as applicant Mr David Adedeji Adeleke, while Ms Sophia Momodu was listed as the sole respondent.
Davido narrated that he has consistently fulfilled his financial responsibilities towards their child’s well-being and he has consistently borne the costs of Imade’s education.
He said he has been paying all Imade’s school fees, covering the rent for the apartment where Sophia Momodu and their daughter reside.
According to him, despite his efforts Sophia has been making unreasonable demands, seemingly designed to harass and frustrate him.
He alleged that she rejected his offer to provide a luxurious apartment worth N200 million in a gated community on Victoria Island, Lagos, but demanded that he continue to pay N5,000,000 annually for a rented facility as his contribution towards their daughter’s accommodation.
Davido said “to ensure that the interest of 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 added 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 continued, “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.”
“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.”
“Notwithstanding my efforts in the overall interest of my daughter, the respondent has continued to make outlandish and Utopian demands to frustrate me.
“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 added 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.”
