- Child custody battles are not new among divorced partners or spouses
- Some Nigerian celebrities have had to deal with the same as personal struggle after their marriages or relationships dissolved
- TheRadar curated a list of Nigerian celebrities who have battled for child custody
Fighting for child custody can be hard for parents involved, including the child, and some Nigerian celebrities have had to go this route after their relationships crashed.
Beyond the fame, glitz and glamour we see on screen, these are personal battles that some popular celebrities have faced with their estranged spouses or partners.
Child custody is the legal right to keep and look after a child, especially the right to a child's mother or father when they get divorced.
TheRadar curated a list of 6 Nigerian celebrities who have battled for child custody in court, seeking joint or full custody of their children. See list below:
- Davido (2024)
In July, Nigerian singer David Adeleke popularly known as Davido made headlines for his struggles to take custody of his daughter Imade, who had with Sophia Momodu. Sophia had alleged that Davido was not fulfilling his fatherly role to their daughter leaving her to shoulder all the expenses. Following a court appearance, Davido debunked all her allegations in a series of emotional Instagram posts. He asked her to keep Imade and revealed that the case was still in court.
- Ay Makun (2024)
Recently, an alleged report surfaced online claiming that renowned comedian AY Makun and his estranged wife Mabel were in a custody battle for their second daughter. In April, AY Makun opened up about his separation from his wife of 15 years, stating that there was no particular reason why they had left each other. The separation was the most surprising.
- Tonto Dikeh (2017)
Veteran Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh had a child custody battle with her ex-husband Churchill Olakunle over their son, King Andre. The court fight later saw Tonto Dikeh win full custody of their son in 2017.
- Do2dtun (2023)
Popular media personality Oladotun Kayode, also known as Do2dtun, is another celebrity who was involved in a child custody fight. In 2023, he called out his ex wife Taiwo for denying him access to his daughters. According to him, they had agreed to have joint custody, but she didn't fulfill her part. Taiwo, who is the sister of the renowned singer, D’banj, replied and said he was lying and had access to his children.
- Buchi Comedian (2023)
Popular Nigerian comedian Buchi opened up about his child custody struggles in 2023. He revealed that his wife and her parents denied him access to his children despite paying about $300,000 in child support. He called his ex-wife out on social media, and afterwards, he announced that he had been granted access to his children.
- Queen Mercy Atang (2024)
Former Big Brother Naija (BBN) housemate Queen Mercy Atang was also involved in a child custody fight with her baby daddy, Lord Lamba. Lord Lamba had filed a petition in February seeking full custody of their child on the claims that he was denied access to her despite paying child support.
Ini Edo, Hilda Baci, others dragged as blogger makes bold allegations against Akpabio
TheRadar earlier reported that controversial social media blog Gistlover named Hilda Baci, Dakore Akande, Idi Edo and other female celebrities as the alleged side chicks of Nigeria's senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
This is coming after a women's group, FLEADERS Nigeria, demanded an apology from the senate president over his sexist remark towards a female lawmaker representing Kogi Central in the senate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Akpabio had addressed the senator, saying that the Senate chamber was not a nightclub and she must be recognised before speaking during plenary.
