Davido Rejects Paternity Claim, Says Multiple DNA Tests Already Cleared Him

Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has publicly denied being the father of a 12-year-old girl, Mitchelle Anuoluwapo, following her emotional appeal for a DNA test to confirm her identity.
The award-winning Nigerian singer stated that the paternity issue had already been conclusively addressed, revealing that he had taken five DNA tests at different medical facilities, all of which returned negative results.
“I have taken five DNA tests, and I am not her father,” Davido wrote, stressing that he has never had a personal relationship with the girl’s mother beyond the DNA testing process.
Anuoluwapo, who referred to herself as Davido’s “oldest daughter,” made the appeal publicly as she approaches her teenage years, saying she wanted clarity about her identity. In a deeply emotional statement, she recounted years of bullying and psychological distress linked to the unresolved paternity claim.
According to her, she began facing ridicule as early as age six for identifying the music star as her father, an experience she said affected her mental health and required professional support.
“As I grow older, I want to establish my identity,” she wrote. “I was bullied in school from a young age and often came home crying when classmates laughed at me for saying my father was David Adeleke.”
She added that her social media presence had been restricted for years on her mother’s instruction and that she had remained focused on her education despite the controversy. She directly appealed to Davido for a DNA test, describing it as necessary for her peace of mind.
“As I transition into a young woman, I am respectfully asking for a DNA test to establish my identity,” she said, while thanking Nigerians who have shown her emotional support.
Davido, however, responded firmly, maintaining that the issue had been resolved long ago. Addressing the matter in comments and later on X (formerly Twitter), he described the renewed claims as false and said this would be the final time he would speak on the issue publicly.
While expressing sympathy for the child, the singer suggested that responsibility lay with her mother, whom he accused of sustaining unfounded allegations.
The renewed controversy has sparked widespread debate across Africa’s entertainment and social media spaces, touching on issues of celebrity scrutiny, child welfare, and the psychological toll of public paternity disputes.