In order to get custody of their daughter Imade, Davido has filed a lawsuit against his baby mom, Sophia Momodu, at the Lagos State High Court.
In May 2015, Davido and Ms. Momodu—the niece of renowned writer Dele Momodu—welcomed Imade, their first child.
According to a report published in the Punch newspaper on Thursday, Davido’s attorneys Olaniyi Arije, Okey Barrah, and others filed the lawsuit on April 17, 2024.
The 31-year-old musician asked the court to give the nine-year-old joint custody and to provide him unfettered access to his daughter (Imade).
Davido recognized his previous connection with Ms. Momodu, which gave rise to Imade but ended years ago, in the lawsuit designated LD/1587PMC/2024.
The “Timeless” hitmaker stated that they promised to raise their daughter as biological parents in the lawsuit, which names Ms. Momodu as the only respondent.
Davido himself provided a 44-paragraph affidavit in support of the original request.
“It is on record that I have been responsible for paying all the school fees for my daughter to provide her with the best education possible and to meet all her educational needs without a hitch. I have also been providing money for the rent of the apartment where the respondent resides with our daughter,” Davido said.
Accusations
The Grammy-nominated artist stated that the 37-year-old turned down a N200 million condominium he had bought for the proper upbringing of Imade in Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos, which was part of a gated community with a swimming pool and a 24-hour power and water supply.
He said, “The respondent rejected the offer to stay and live at the above-described secured Oniru apartment, which had already been purchased, but demanded that I continue to pay N5,000,000 annually for a rented facility as my contribution towards my daughter’s accommodation.
“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.”
According to the musician, his daughter’s school notified him of her two-week absence in 2023. Ms. Momodu told him that the Range Rover SUV had a problem when he questioned her about it.
He did point out that she didn’t tell him about the problem until the school got in touch with him.
“That 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 nanny’s fees to our child, provide medical and health care, insurance, periodic international travel expenses, and tickets. That notwithstanding my efforts in the overall interest of my daughter, the respondent has continued to make outlandish and Utopian demands to frustrate me,” the singer added.
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The “Unavailable” crooner stated that Imade’s mother insisted he give a flat sum of $19,600 per year, or $800 per month, to the babysitter she hired.
He claimed that even though he worked hard to make sure their daughter had a better life, Ms. Momodu still mistreated him and hurt him a lot.
Context
Ms. Sophia dropped a suggestion on Snapchat in June 2024 that she would rename her kid Momodu after herself, given her dual roles as Imade’s mother and father.
The posts read: “I can’t wait to change her last name. I still think Momodu is perfect, as I’m both Mom and Dad.”
The businesswoman, however, expressed on her Instagram page in 2021 that she was offended that her daughter adopted Davido’s last name rather than her own.
She wrote, “I remember my Mom and aunties laughing at me when I was crying because my daughter’s last name wasn’t going to be Momodu.
“I was genuinely distraught. I even argued that they put her father’s full name and not a letter from mine. Pulled out my feminist card and everything; it pained me that year.”
