Veronica Adeleke was the mother of David “Davido” Adeleke – a Nigerian singer and songwriter. She was also the late wife of the business bigwig and billionaire Adedeji Adeleke.
Veronica Adeleke, Davido’s mother, was a lecturer at Babcock University. She was also a music enthusiast who reportedly had a music band, David’s Band – named after her musician son, who is responsible for songs such as Blow My Mind, Assurance, and If, to mention a few.
Although she did not live to see her son make a name for himself in the music scene of Nigeria and Africa, she nonetheless shares in his fame. She died in 2003 at the age of 39 and when Davido was 10 years old. Yet the singer has immortalized her name through his daughters, Imade and Veronica Adeleke.
Summary of Victoria Adeleke’s Bio
- Full name: Veronica Imade Adeleke
- Gender: Female
- Date of birth: 1963
- Date of Death: March 6, 2003
- Age at the time of death: 39
- Cause of Death: Cardiac arrest
- Ethnicity: Bini
- Nationality: Nigerian
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Married
- Veronica Adeleke’s Husband: Adedeji Adeleke
- Veronica Adeleke’s Children: David Adeleke (Davido) and Sharon Adeleke
- Her Grandchildren: Aurora Imade Adeleke, Hailey Veronica Adeleke, Ifeanyi David Adeleke
- Occupation: Lecturer at Babcock University
- Famous for: being the mother of Nigerian singer Davido and the first legal wife of Adedeji Adeleke
Who is Davido’s Mother?
Dr. Veronica Adeleke, as she was professionally called, was a Ph.D. holder and a lecturer at Babcock University, Osun State. However, there is inadequate information on the faculty she lectured. The faculty of social science would later be renamed “The Veronica Adeleke School of Social Sciences,” which suggests that she might have influenced the name of the faculty.
The faculty comprises four departments – Department of Economics, Department of Mass Communication, Department of Political Science, and Department of Social Work.
Regarding her private life, she had David Adeleke, who would grow to become Davido in Atlanta in 1992 when she was about 29. The late Veronica may have lived most of her life away from the spotlight, but Davido accorded his agility was a gene he got from her. She did quite remarkable in turning him into a mummy’s boy since her husband, Davido’s father, Adedeji Adeleke, was mostly traveling to different parts of the world for business.
Her closeness to her 31 years old son would be said to have fueled some of the things she owned. Among them was a band she had called David’s band. She was said to have a security firm dubbed David’s Security. Channeling to her character, the late Imade was said to be a woman with a large heart.
According to her son, Davido, people still refer to her and her deeds even after more than a decade since she passed away. After making the impact she could on her family and society, her life was cut short by a cardiac arrest that led to death. She passed when she was about 39 years old and on the 40th birthday of David’s father, Adedeji Adeleke, on March 6, 2003.
Where is Davido’s Mother From?
The November 23, 1963-born Veronica hails from Benin, Edo State, in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. She would later become a part of the South-Western region of Nigeria through her marriage to billionaire Adedeji in the 1980s. Regardless, she had lived in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, Lagos, and the Ogun States in Nigeria.
Meet All of Veronica Adeleke’s Children
There have been contradictory stories about the number of children Davido’s mother had. Different sources claim the number to be as low as 2, while others suggest it is as high as 5. Despite that, there are further claims that she had biological and stepchildren.
Here’s the complete list of the children.
Davido is the Most Famous and Youngest of Her Children
She had the deeply dimpled David Adedeji Adeleke “Davido” on November 21, 1992, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the youngest child, and had a close relationship with him.
He became the most famous after pursuing a music career in 2009. By 2011, about eight years after she had passed, Davido released his debut studio album, Omo Baba Olowo. The album received positive reviews, and in no time, he penetrated through the walls of fame in Nigeria and beyond.
As time progressed, he released several other songs such as Gobe (2013), Aye (2014), Fall (2017), Assurance (2018), Wonder Woman (2018), Blow My Mind (2019), Jowo (2020), The Best (2021), and Stand Strong (2022).
He has also attracted accolades such as:
- Best International Act Africa at 2014 BET Awards
- 2x MTV Africa Music Awards for Best Male and Artist of the Year (2014)
- Channel O Music Video Awards for Most Gifted Newcomer Video of the Year (2012)
- City People Entertainment Awards for Musician of the Year (2014)
- 8x The Headies Award (2012, 2013, 2014, and 2018)
- Net Honours for Most Searched Musician (Male, 2021)
Sharon Adeleke is a Wigmaker and the First Daughter of the late Veronica Adeleke
Sharon Adeleke is reportedly the first child of Veronica Adeleke but the second child of Davido’s father. She is a businesswoman and founder of Rona Wigs, a company specializing in making luxury wigs. Apart from that, Sharon, a fitness enthusiast, is married to Yomi Ademefun and a mother of 3.
Adewale Adeleke is Reportedly Her First Stepson and a Director at Pacific Energy Limited
Several reports suggest that Adewale Adeleke was the stepson of late Dr. Vero. As regards his biological mother, curiosity sparked when he posted on more than one occasion the photos and video of a woman he tagged “mom.”
In any case, there is barely any concrete evidence that Davido’s mother raised him at any point. However, this would not stop some sources from claiming that madam Vero was his mother.
Adewale is a music producer and founder of HKN Music – the record label Davido was signed to before he established DMW. He is said to be a director of their father’s company, Pacific Energy Limited. At present, Adewale is married to Ekanem Kani and shares a daughter.
Ashley Coco Adeleke-Adaji is Another Reported Stepdaughter of Veronica Adeleke
Ashley Coco Adeleke is the late Mrs. Adeleke’s asserted step-daughter. Her position in the family is unknown, but many sources claim that she is her older sister of Davido. Others supposedly tag her as the second daughter of Adedeji.
Some claims conflict with a claim that Dr. Vero’s daughter Sharon is the second of the children of the businessman Adeleke. She lives a more private life, and one of the rare times she made waves was due to her luxurious wedding to Caleb Adaji in 2016 in Dubai.
Davido’s Mother Has Several Grandchildren
Years after Davido’s mother passed, her children began to make offspring, giving her posthumous grandchildren. From Davido, she had three grandchildren. Sharon had equally made her a “grandmother” of 3 to make a total of 6.
If she were alive, she would equally have had grandchildren from her stepchildren, Adewale and Coco. The grandchildren are not famous, but Davido’s children are the most known. Davido had his first daughter Aurora Imade Adeleke named the native name of his mother. She was born in his relationship with Sophia Momodu.
Also, his second daughter, Hailey Veronica Adeleke, was birthed by Amanda, also known as Laplubelle. The little girl was also named after the singer’s mother. Her third grandchild from Davido is Ifeanyi David Adeleke with Chioma Rowland, a chef, Veronica’s son, was engaged to. There have been speculations about a fourth child called Lawson, whose mother is Larissa. Amidst all the speculations, Davido has remained silent on the issue.
The Death of Veronica Adeleke Brought Controversies, Especially in Her Husband’s Life
According to some allegations, Davido’s mother died not just of a cardiac arrest but related to a drug overdose. The death was said to have come on the same day as her husband’s birthday after she returned home from his new age thanksgiving and headed to her room, where she would later be found breathless.
In any case, the family is believed to be annually celebrating the memory of the former lecturer. After her death, Adedeji reportedly married Tejumade “Teju,” but the marriage crashed in 2011, about 8 years after she had passed.