Dele Momodu shares his perspective on the ongoing custody battle between Davido and Sophia Momodu, discussing financial disputes, visitation arrangements, and the importance of prioritizing their daughter’s well-being.
The Publisher of Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, has provided insights into the custody battle between his niece, Sophia Momodu, and the father of her child, Afrobeat star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.
In a series of posts via his verified social media handle on Saturday, Momodu expressed his surprise at Davido’s affidavit seeking joint custody of their child. He emphasized that his previous conversations with Davido focused on his wedding and reconnecting with his daughter, without any mention of custody issues.
Momodu highlighted that Davido and his family have always had access to the child. When Davido stopped paying her school fees, his father, Deji Adeleke, stepped in to clear the dues and provided the child with a car.
“I received a distressing message from Mr. David Adeleke (aka Davido). He was obviously devastated by the counter-affidavit submitted in court, earlier in the day, in response to his affidavit seeking joint custody of his daughter with my niece Sophia Momodu,” Momodu stated.
Momodu recounted a recent video call with Davido, where the focus was on Davido’s upcoming wedding and his recent communication with his daughter, making the custody filing a surprise.
He added that the core issues between his niece and Davido were financial, including school fees, accommodation, and nanny’s salary. The most contentious issue was the payment of accommodation, with Sophia suggesting a 50-50 split, which Davido declined, offering only N5 million per annum instead.
“The issues were: non-payment of school fees for several sessions; non-payment of accommodation and salaries of a nanny. There was no car dedicated to David’s daughter,” Momodu elaborated.
Momodu noted that Sophia allowed Davido access to their daughter as long as her nanny was present, a request made by their daughter. He stressed that the lack of communication and camaraderie between Davido and Sophia has led to the current situation.
“My opinion is that the absence of camaraderie between David and Sophia has caused this debacle. I have cautioned repeatedly that their daughter must not be allowed to suffer or be treated like a second-class child. David’s global status makes this imperative,” he said.
Momodu urged both parties to focus on their daughter’s well-being and to engage in the alternative dispute resolution process recommended by the court. He advised against making harmful statements on social media, emphasizing the need for a structured and sustainable approach to co-parenting.
“The vitriolic rhetoric in the media should be avoided by all means, as this only further inflames what is already a traumatic experience for all parties involved, especially the child in question,” Momodu concluded.