Manny Ita
Afrobeats star Davido is at the centre of a widely publicised paternity dispute after a teenage girl, Mitchelle Anuoluwapo Adeleke, publicly appealed to the singer to submit to a DNA test to establish whether he is her biological father. The matter resurfaced in January 2026 after the 12‑year‑old shared an emotional message on social media in which she described years of bullying and psychological distress linked to the unresolved claim and appealed respectfully to Davido to consider a fresh test to confirm her identity.
In response, Davido has strongly denied paternity and said he has already taken multiple DNA tests, all of which, he insisted, returned negative results. In social media posts, the singer stated, “After 5 DNA test … she dey crase .. her and her mom better leave me the fuck alone and go find her papa,” and added that he had chosen three medical facilities for testing while the opposing party chose two, but all allegedly showed he is not the girl’s father. He said the matter needed to stop and referred to the claims as nonsense.
Davido’s denial has been met with sharp rebuttals from Ayo Labinjoh, the girl’s mother, who disputes his account of the number and legitimacy of past tests. Labinjoh has said that only one DNA procedure occurred in 2014 at a clinic, and she challenged the accuracy and handling of that process, claiming it was not conducted in a formal hospital setting and that the result was not properly authorised. She denied being the singer’s former partner and insisted she has protected her daughter’s well‑being amid public speculation. Labinjoh has stated that she plans to pursue a fresh, independently supervised DNA test and suggested involving the U.S. State Department to ensure impartial oversight, citing Davido’s U.S. citizenship.
The controversy has drawn attention from media figures, including Nigerian broadcaster Daddy Freeze, who said he has seen one of the test results and confirmed that it showed Davido is not Anu’s biological father, stating, “DNA saga! Davido is not Anu’s father. I saw the DNA test result.”
Both sides continue to present conflicting accounts of past testing, the authenticity of available results and what further action should be taken, keeping the dispute in public focus as legal, emotional and social dimensions of the case evolve.
