Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has opened up about a dramatic chapter from his teenage years, revealing how his billionaire father, Dr. Deji Adeleke, launched a massive search for him involving Nigeria’s top security agencies.
In a candid interview on the American podcast Bagfuel Brigade, Davido shared that after his mother’s passing and with his siblings studying abroad, he lived alone with his father in a sprawling 16-bedroom mansion. Unknown to his father, he secretly set up a full music studio in the house where he spent countless hours recording songs and experimenting with music.
According to Davido, he eventually grew tired of hiding his musical passion and decided to flee Nigeria altogether. He escaped to London, where he lived for six months with a producer friend, fully immersing himself in his craft.
While Davido was living his dream abroad, panic broke out back home. His father, desperate to find him, deployed an extensive search effort involving the army, immigration officers, police, and several other Nigerian security agencies.
“I was living alone with my dad in a 16-bedroom mansion because all my siblings were in America. I had a studio in the house and he didn’t know — a complete studio where I spent most of my time making music and smoking,” Davido recalled.
“I left the mansion for about six months. My dad was looking for me the army, immigration officers, every security agency in Nigeria was looking for Dr. Deji Adeleke’s son.”
Davido’s adventure came to an abrupt end when he attempted to return to Nigeria. Upon landing at the airport, he planned to head straight to a friend’s house, avoiding contact with his family. But the moment he stepped outside, he was intercepted by an army officer who escorted him to a group of uniformed men — and his waiting father.
“I thought my dad would scold me,” Davido said, “but instead he hugged me. He was just happy to see me.”
Today, Davido’s gamble clearly paid off, as he is now celebrated as one of Africa’s biggest and most influential music artists.
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