I Am a Pastor’s daughter who got mocked for getting pregnant for a global superstar” — Sophia Momodu

Entrepreneur Sophia Momodu has opened up about the ridicule, stigma and social pressure she faced after becoming pregnant outside marriage with Nigerian singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.

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

Recalling the experience, Momodu said her background as the daughter of a pastor made the situation particularly difficult because of the stigma attached to having a child outside wedlock in Nigerian society.

“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,” she said.

Momodu said that despite being well known, she initially struggled to have her own voice heard amid the negative attention surrounding the situation.

“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,” she said.

She noted that the experience carried particular social weight in Nigeria because of her religious family background.

“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,” Momodu added.

According to her, she eventually became more confident about speaking publicly about her experience and discovered that many other women had gone through similar situations.

Momodu also recalled an incident in which an aunt contacted her after allegedly receiving a request from someone asking her to remain silent about the matter.

“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,” she said.

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

Momodu added that several women later approached her to share their own experiences, which encouraged her to continue telling her story.

“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,” she said.

Momodu and Davido welcomed their daughter, Imade Adeleke, on May 14, 2015. DNA testing later confirmed Davido’s paternity.

The pair were intermittently involved before their relationship ended in 2022, and they were never married.

Follow Very Nigerian WhatsApp Channel
For Verified Breaking News, Exclusive Reports, Trending Stories, And Real-time Updates.
CLICk HERE TO JOIN!