Nigerian Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has withdrawn his long-standing custody case for his daughter Imade Adeleke, following a heated courtroom session in Lagos.
The singer, who filed for joint custody in 2024 at the Lagos State High Court in Yaba, clarified that he never sought full custody of Imade—born in May 2015 to his ex-partner Sophia Momodu—but only aimed for a shared parenting arrangement to ensure unrestricted access and involvement in her life.
The decision came after a tense hearing on February 12, 2026, where proceedings reportedly turned emotional and contentious. Davido announced his withdrawal on social media platform X late Friday, expressing deep frustration over what he described as unacceptable references during arguments.
He specifically condemned remarks from opposing counsel that allegedly invoked the tragic 2022 drowning death of his son Ifeanyi, calling it a painful low blow that crossed ethical lines and prompted him to end the legal battle.
In his posts, Davido emphasized that the dispute had no true victors. “Nobody won, nobody lost but Imade,” he wrote, underscoring his belief that prolonged conflict would harm their daughter most. He affirmed that Imade would one day know he fought for her and expressed hope for peace in their co-parenting dynamic moving forward.
The withdrawal marks the end of a nearly two-year legal chapter that drew significant public attention in Nigeria’s entertainment scene, highlighting challenges in high-profile co-parenting arrangements.
