A long-running paternity dispute between Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, and 12-year-old Anuoluwapo Mitchelle has resurfaced online, drawing widespread attention and sharply conflicting accounts about previous DNA tests.
The controversy reignited after Anuoluwapo took to Instagram appealing directly to the singer for a fresh DNA test to establish her identity. Identifying herself as “Davido’s oldest daughter,” she described years of bullying at school, saying classmates mocked her claims and that she suffered mental anguish from childhood, prompting therapy and medical support. She thanked Nigerians for years of encouragement and stressed that her request was personal: “This test is between my dad and I,” she wrote.
Davido responded publicly, rejecting the request and insisting the matter had already been settled medically. He claimed to have undergone five separate DNA tests at different facilities, all negative, stating, “I am not your father,” and insisting he never had a relationship with the girl’s mother, Ayo Labinjoh, outside the DNA process. According to him, his father compelled the earlier tests. Expressing frustration, he said the prolonged claims were unfair to his children and vowed not to address the “nonsense” again.
The dispute intensified when Anuoluwapo and her mother refuted Davido’s version, accusing the singer of bullying, threats and misinformation. They insisted that only one DNA test was ever conducted and alleged that it was compromised.
Labinjoh claimed a lab technician was paid and that blood samples were not properly tested, rejecting narratives that there were two, then five test attempts. She also claimed Davido threatened to have her jailed, a claim supported by a leaked chat shared on the child’s Instagram account in which the singer allegedly warned he would publish medical results and pursue legal action.
Labinjoh further recounted meeting Davido years earlier while working as a waitress in Ibadan, alleging the singer cut contact after she became pregnant. Seeking resolution, she now plans to request U.S. diplomatic oversight for a new independent test due to Davido’s U.S. citizenship.
The dispute, which dates back to 2017, has repeatedly resurfaced, fueling divided reactions online, with some urging another test and others advising the mother to drop the matter. For now, both sides remain firm, leaving the controversy unresolved and emotionally charged..
