Manny Ita
In a comprehensive briefing held at his Lagos residence on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, billionaire businessman Dr. Deji Adeleke formally dismissed long-running paternity claims linking his son, the global music star Davido, to a 12-year-old girl named Anuoluwapo. Providing a detailed timeline of events, Dr. Adeleke revealed that the family had conducted multiple scientific verifications, beginning with a 2014 DNA test at Vedic Lifecare Hospital in Lekki. To ensure the integrity of the process and prevent local interference, samples were sent to South Africa for analysis, with the final report indicating a 0.00% probability of paternity. Dr. Adeleke noted that he and the child’s grandmother collected these results together, and he subsequently funded two additional tests at separate Lagos facilities, all of which returned negative results. To be exhaustive, tests were even performed on Davido’s cousin, B-Red, to rule out any familial mistaken identity, which also returned negative.
Addressing the persistence of the rumors, Dr. Adeleke accused journalist Kemi Olunloyo of orchestrating a “prolonged campaign of defamation” and alleged that she has been impersonating the minor and her mother through fake social media accounts. He shared a statement from the child’s aunt asserting that the girl’s mother does not manage the accounts currently making public pleas and that the family has long since cut ties with the journalist. While the Adeleke family is now weighing legal action for defamation, Dr. Adeleke clarified that their past financial assistance to the child was rooted in humanitarianism rather than an admission of blood relation. He confirmed he had sponsored Anuoluwapo’s primary education and offered her mother admission to Adeleke University with a monthly stipend, though he noted she withdrew after two sessions. Reaffirming his position, he stated, “I have 14 grandchildren. What is one more? If she were truly my granddaughter, I would welcome her with open arms. But science says she is not.”
Despite the public’s demand for documentation, Dr. Adeleke firmly refused to release the full DNA reports to the media, citing significant security and legal risks associated with putting a minor’s genetic profile in the public domain. He emphasized that such an action would be “dangerous” and could expose both the child and his son to criminal threats such as kidnapping. Following the briefing, Davido echoed his father’s stance on social media, declaring, “I’ve taken 5 DNA tests, all negative… find her papa.” The singer’s legal team is reportedly monitoring the situation for further instances of harassment or impersonation.
