Nigerian music icon Davidois the son of Chief Dr. Adedeji Adeleke, a billionaire business magnate who serves as the CEO of Pacific Holdings Limited, and Late. Mrs. Veronica Adeleke, a record label boss and musical band owner.
The Assurance crooner is not just a very successful musician but also a very rich one. While a significant chunk of his personal wealth comes from his work, a huge portion of it is as a result of him being from an affluent family.
As a result of him being born with a silver spoon, Davido’s family has supported his career to a great extent. While this takes nothing away from his outstanding talent as a musician, it is no wonder that he has been able to achieve such great feats in the Nigerian entertainment scene.
Davido’s Father is A Man of High Reputation
Davido’s father, Adedeji Tajudeen Adeleke, is an established educationist with a substantial amount of years spent in the Nigerian Ministry of Education. He holds two doctorates from the University of Phoenix, Arizona, and Pacific Columbia University, California. More so, he is the Pro-Chancellor of Adeleke University, Osun state, a citadel of learning which is one of the top private universities in Nigeria. This institution was initiated by the Springtime Development Foundation (SDF), a non-governmental organization that is also owned by Chief Adeleke.
Outside of his exploits in education, Davido’s father is also a business tycoon. He is the CEO of Pacific Holdings Limited, a multi-sector conglomerate with tentacles in Civil Engineering, Energy & Power, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Trading, Freight Services, Gas, Trading, and Real Estate. In 2021, Chief Adedeji Adeleke successfully made all his 4 children directors in Pacific Holdings.
Mrs. Veronica Adeleke was A Multi-Faceted Woman
Davido’s mother, Late Dr. Mrs. Veronica Imade Adeleke, was a true definition of beauty with brains. She was not just a beautiful fair skin lady but also a very intelligent woman. She was a lecturer at Babcook University in Osun State – a job many have since speculated that she got because of her husband’s connections and his philanthropic gestures towards the institution.
However, being a lecturer was not the only profession Mrs. Adeleke loved as she also had interests in music. She is noted for being a founding member of a band named David’s Band (named after her son) who were quite popular in the 90s. In addition to being a music enthusiast, Late Mrs. Adeleke was also a keen businesswoman known for setting up a security agency which she also named after her son – David’s Security.
Davido’s Mother’s Death Came As A Surprise
Adediji Adeleke and Late Veronica Adeleke tied the knot in the 80s and were married for at least 15 years before her untimely death. In the beginning, the pair’s relationship was described as a match made in heaven, however, things began to take a different direction when Chief Adeleke switched his focus on enriching himself with little or no time for his family, especially his wife. This affected Veronica’s mental health which made her succumb to depression and a dependence on drugs.
Veronica later died on March 6th, 2003, on the day her husband was celebrating his 40th birthday. Davido’s mother had gone with her family to church that day to celebrate the occasion but when they returned from the celebration, she was said to have locked herself in her room where she was later found dead. The cause of her death is said to have been drug-induced, however, this has not been publicly confirmed by any member of the Adeleke family.
When the news of Mrs. Veronica Adeleke’s death was made public, a lot of people were shocked by it, including her colleagues and students of Babcook University where she lectured. Nonetheless, swift arrangements were made for her burial and it was during her funeral ceremony that her band performed for the last time. Dr. Mrs. Veronica Adeleke was still at the prime of her youth when she did as she was only 39 years old.
How Did Davido’s Parents Influence His Career Choice?
The availability of money for a budding musical artist cannot be understated, so it won’t be wrong to say that having a wealthy father did not make a huge difference in Davido’s musical career. On his mother’s part, the young artist has constantly been referring to her as the inspiration for his music career. It is also believed that he inherited his musical skills from his mother who was a music enthusiast.
With a deep passion to succeed as a musician, Davido dropped out of Oakwood University, Alabama to return to Nigeria and focus on music. As expected from his father who is a sturdy educationist, he frowned at Davido’s decision to leave school and made several attempts to get him to go back to the United States to complete his education. However, after a series of arguments and discussions, the pair were able to reach an agreement that would eventually enable Davido go to school in Nigeria as he goes about his music business with the full financial and moral support of his father.
Davido ended up graduating with a degree in music in 2015. Long before that in 2012, however, he released his debut album Omo Baba Olowo (English Translation: Son of a Rich Man) to rave reviews. He has since then released three more albums that have garnered him wide fame and huge fortune.
Is Davido Wealthier Than His Father?
It is true that Davido is one of the richest musicians in Nigeria with an estimated net worth of $16 million. This is no small feat, especially after considering that he could achieve this in less than a decade in the music industry. However, the young millionaire is no match for his super-rich dad who currently has a net worth pegged at a staggering $800 million.
Nonetheless, as a father, Chief Adeleke is definitely proud of his son’s achievements, and though the pair seem to be operating in two different worlds in terms of their careers, they are both making it big.
