Dr. Deji Adeleke, businessman and patriarch of the wealthy Adeleke family and father of Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has denied paternity of the 12-year-old girl, Mitchelle Anuoluwapo, publicly appealed for a DNA test to determine whether the singer is her biological father.
The renewed dispute followed an emotional Instagram post by the teenager, in which she described the psychological trauma, bullying, and identity crisis she said she has endured for years due to the unresolved paternity claim linking her to the award-winning musician.
In the heartfelt message shared on her Instagram page, Anuoluwapo explained that as she prepares to enter her teenage years, she feels compelled to seek clarity about her identity, stressing that the uncertainty has deeply affected her childhood and mental well-being.
Davido reacted swiftly and angrily to the renewed claims, insisting that the matter had long been settled and that he is not the girl’s father.
Responding directly in the comment section of the Instagram post, the singer denied ever having a relationship with the girl’s mother and stated that multiple DNA tests had already been conducted, all of which allegedly returned negative results.
However, Ayo Labinjoh maintained her position, dismissing the DNA test results and insisting that the singer is her daughter’s biological father, describing the tests as fake.
Amid the growing controversy, Adedeji Adeleke stepped in to defend his son.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, he revealed that the paternity tests were carried out on both Davido and his cousin, fellow singer B-Red.
He said the briefing was sparked by renewed social media claims by blogger Kemi Olunloyo, who has persistently alleged that Davido fathered Anuoluwapo.
“I’m not on social media, but I’m sure those of you on social media have been inundated with all kinds of talks about this issue. Almost every year, this thing keeps coming up regarding one little girl called Anuoluwapo, who lives in Ibadan, that Kemi Olunloyo has continually alleged that David is the father of the little girl,” he said.
Adeleke, who stated that he has 14 grandchildren, declared: “So what will one more do? Is it that I will not be able to afford to do things for her or bring her into my family?” he queried. “For science, DNA, if you say you are my granddaughter and science has proven that you are my granddaughter, I will gladly accept her. So let me tell you the story of how I got to know about Anu.”
He then presented a detailed timeline, supported by documents, to debunk the paternity claims.
Adeleke revealed that the issue first came to his attention in 2014 when he received a DHL package at his office from a law firm in Ibadan. The package contained a letter from the child’s grandmother, pictures of the child and her mother, a photoshopped image of Davido with the child, and the child’s birth certificate.
He said, “I received this via DHL at my office in 2014. In the package were pictures of a little girl and pictures of David. They took David’s picture from somewhere, cropped it, and put it with the little girl. There was also a picture of the mother of the girl.
“Curiously, there was also the birth certificate of the child. What caught my attention was that on the birth certificate, under the ‘full name of father,’ it said ‘Adeleke David.’”
He noted another curious detail: the birth certificate listed the mother’s surname as “Adeleke.”
“How can she be Adeleke? That caught my attention,” he said.
The grandmother’s letter, which Adeleke read aloud, pleaded for his intervention as a “God-fearing man,” urging that Davido “step up for a paternity test to confirm and take full responsibility for his daughter.”
Acting swiftly, Adeleke said he contacted the grandmother, sent his driver to Ibadan to verify their address, and arranged a DNA test at Vadik Hospital in Lekki, Lagos.
“Immediately I saw the letter, even before calling David or telling him about it, I called the woman and said, ‘I have not spoken to my son yet, but I will. Give me your address in Ibadan. I’ll send my driver to confirm where you live. If this girl is my granddaughter, you will have no problems with me.’”
According to him, he informed her that Vadik Hospital, where he does his medical check-ups, would arrange the DNA test through a partner laboratory, as the analysis would be conducted in South Africa.
According to Adeleke, on the appointed day, he sent his driver early to Ibadan to pick up the child, her mother, and grandmother. He noted that Davido was also present, alongside his aide.
He emphasized that Davido had initially denied knowing the child or her mother.
“David told me, ‘Daddy, I’ve never seen this girl before.’ And I told David, ‘I don’t want to listen to you. Whether you’ve seen her or not, all I want is this DNA test,’” he said.
Saliva samples were taken and sent to South Africa for analysis. All parties signed to jointly receive the results.
Adeleke displayed the original DNA test report to journalists, shielding sensitive information for privacy reasons. He pointed to the conclusion: “Probability of paternity, 0.00%.”
“The mother asked the lab officer, ‘What does this mean?’ It means David is not the father of the child,” Adeleke said. “She was really disappointed. She broke down and cried.”
In a show of goodwill, Adeleke said he offered to fund two additional DNA tests at different reputable facilities to eliminate any doubt. Asserting that he paid for the mother, child, and grandmother to stay in a Lagos hotel for a week while the tests were arranged.
He explained that subsequent tests from two other laboratories, including one based in the United States, returned the same result; Davido was excluded as the biological father.
Adeleke blamed blogger Kemi Olunloyo for the persistent scandal, displaying a WhatsApp message from a family member of the child in Abuja.
The message disowned Olunloyo’s actions, stating: “The account is run by Kemi Olunloyo, whom we have cut ties with years ago. We have reached out to her several times to stop posting anything about the child.”
Adeleke said he had advised his son to ignore Olunloyo, noting that even her biological son had publicly disowned her.
“If her own son can say that about her, why should we bother about what she says about David?” he said.
Reacting to his father’s intervention, Davido took to his Insta story on Thursday to express gratitude for the public show of support. Sharing a photo of himself and his father, the singer wrote, “Thank you my loving Father.”
Meanwhile, Labinjoh, Anu’s mother responded to the post that Davido, rather than his father, should take responsibility for addressing the matter.
She accused Dr Adeleke of abusing his influence and wealth.
“I am not Sophia negotiating child support. Let Davido address me.” Labinjoh wrote. She also insisted that her daughter’s case was about identity, not money.
She warned that if anything happened to herself, her daughter, or her mother, law enforcement should hold Dr Adeleke responsible.
Labinjoh alleged that her sister, Titilayo Labinjoh, had contacted their mother from Abuja to express fear over the renewed media attention surrounding Anu.
She questioned why her sister was in communication with the Adeleke family since 2020, describing it as a betrayal.
She also disputed claims made earlier by Dr Adeleke regarding DNA tests.
According to Labinjoh, neither she nor her daughter met with Dr Adeleke in 2020 for additional DNA tests, contrary to public statements.
She maintained that the DNA process referenced by the Adeleke family was flawed and reiterated her demand that all test results be made public.
“Post the tests, sir,” she wrote, addressing Dr Adeleke directly.