Afrobeats superstar and Grammy-nominated singer, Davido, has revealed that his 2012 hit song Dami Duro was the turning point that reshaped his music journey and mended his once-fractured relationship with his father.
Speaking during an interview on Power 105.1 FM in the United States, Davido recounted how the success of Dami Duro captured the attention of not just music lovers, but also Nigeria’s then-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and his father, billionaire businessman, Deji Adeleke.
The singer recalled that his father, who initially disapproved of his decision to pursue music, had deployed security operatives to disrupt his shows and arrest promoters connected to him at the time.
“Before then, my dad was using the police and army to stop my shows and arrest show promoters, artists, and everyone connected to any show I was billed to perform in,” Davido said.
He added that everything changed when Dami Duro became a national anthem, with rumours that it was even President Jonathan’s personal ringtone. According to him, the song’s massive popularity influenced his father to soften his stance.
“At that point, people started advising my dad to allow me do music,” he said.
Davido also disclosed that he later agreed to return to school as part of a compromise with his father, which further helped rebuild their relationship.
“I told him I was scared of him back then, but now we’re best friends. He attends all my shows and is deeply involved in my business,” he said.
Today, the music star and his father enjoy a close bond, moving from opposition to solid support, with Deji Adeleke now playing an active role in his son’s growing business empire.
