Sophia Momodu speaks on growing up as pastor’s daughter, facing pregnancy stigma

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Entrepreneur and mother of Davido’s first child, Sophia Momodu, has recalled the backlash and ridicule she faced after becoming pregnant by the singer out of wedlock.

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Momodu spoke during a side panel at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, in a video posted on her Instagram Story on Tuesday.

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Recalling her experience, Momodu said she was a pastor’s daughter and that having a child outside wedlock was particularly stigmatised in Nigerian society.

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She said, “This is my life story. I am a pastor’s daughter who got pregnant out of wedlock by a global superstar. And I was mocked. It was crazy. And I had to find my strength in the midst of all of that.

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“And for the longest time, I didn’t have a voice. I was famous, I was popular, but I didn’t have a voice. It kept getting drowned out by whatever negativity was around that story.

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“If you’re Nigerian and you’re here, you know that it’s almost a taboo to be a pastor’s daughter and have a child out of wedlock.”

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Momodu said she eventually found the confidence to tell her story publicly and discovered that other women had experienced similar situations.

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“So, I needed that story to be truly understood, and I’m so grateful for Stephanie because her story gave me that platform. I felt like that put fire in my… I just kept going,” she said.

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She added that an aunt once contacted her and asked her to remain silent about her experience.

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“And then, an aunt called me one day and said a friend of hers had called her to talk to me to please keep quiet, because this is not a topic that we are allowed to talk about as Black women,” Momodu said.

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She said sharing her experience in different forums, including in South Africa, helped her realise that she was not alone.

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“And I just wanted to say that because of her story, Google, I’ve told my story at forums. I’ve talked about this in places like South Africa, radio stations, and it was just amazing to see that I was not alone. There were so many women that came to me and said, ‘Listen, it happened to me too.’

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“And I was like, ‘Wow.’ I’m just grateful for the platform, I’m grateful to be able to tell my story, and because of people like Stephanie and these amazing women on this panel, I don’t think I would ever stop telling my story.”

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Momodu and Davido, whose real name is David Adeleke, had a relationship that resulted in the birth of their daughter, Imade Adeleke, on May 14, 2015.

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DNA testing later confirmed paternity.

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The pair had intermittent periods of involvement before the relationship ended in 2022. They never married.

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Their co-parenting has been marked by repeated public controversies. In early 2016, when Imade was an infant, Momodu and her uncle, publisher Dele Momodu, alleged that Davido’s family attempted to take the child out of the country without consent; the matter was eventually resolved.nn

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Over the years, both sides have traded accusations involving financial support, access to the child, lifestyle claims, and public statements.

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Momodu has at times indicated she shouldered primary caregiving and expenses, while Davido has maintained he fulfilled paternal responsibilities including housing and school fees at various points.

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In April 2024, Davido filed a suit at the Lagos State High Court seeking joint custody and unrestricted access to Imade.

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Momodu opposed the application, stating she had never denied access to their daughter and that any contact lapse after July 2022 was by Davido’s choice.

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She also referenced disputes over intimacy and alleged financial shortfalls. The case proceeded through hearings.

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In February 2026, following a tense court session where Momodu’s lawyer reportedly referenced the 2022 death of Davido’s son Ifeanyi (with Chioma Rowland), Davido announced he was withdrawing the suit.

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He clarified he had sought joint rather than sole custody and said the only real loss was Imade’s.

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Momodu, born in 1987, is the founder of the Precious Jewels Foundation, which focuses on the intellectual development and wellbeing of vulnerable women and children.

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She also runs a fashion and beauty brand and has appeared on The Real Housewives of Lagos.

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Her appearance at the UNGA 81 side events forms part of her broader public advocacy work beyond her personal history with Davido.

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