Nigerian superstar David Adeleke popularly known as Davido has for the first time opened up about the death of his three-year-old son, Ifeanyi Adeleke.
Davido’s son had just celebrated his third birthday when he drowned in a swimming pool and died.
In a recent interview with CNN, the singer said it was the most traumatizing moment in his entire life.
He said he had to be strong for his wife, Chioma, and his family members.
“Before my son passed, we had finished the album. Obviously, it was a tragic situation but I had to be strong for everybody, not only my wife but my dad and my family,” he said.
Davido said after the tragic moment, he knew at the end of it all, people expected him to entertain them.
“I knew at the end of the day people would want Davido to be on stage again. I really had to calm myself down and take a step back, it showed that I was really born to do this.”
Davido who released his fourth album on Friday, 31st March 2023 said he credits his return to the music scene to the overwhelming support he received from his fans.
Davido said he was broken and at some point did not want to open his social media pages.
“This situation would break anybody. I don’t know how talented you are. Chioma and I didn’t deserve that,” he said.
He said after gathering courage to check his Instagram, he read so many encouraging messages from people from all over the world including heads of state.
“The support I got from people was one of the things that helped me stand up again. At some point, I couldn’t open my Instagram for weeks.
One day, I just checked it and I saw messages from every kind of person in the world, from politicians to sportsmen, to other musicians, to presidents.
That was one thing that really made me strong enough to stand up again, get back in the studio, and do what I love.”
It was said that young Ifeanyi drowned in the family pool and was underwater for a while before he was discovered and rushed to the hospital.
The couple, Davido and his lover Chioma had traveled to Ibadan for a family gathering and had left Ifeanyi with his minders who can’t explain how he got into the pool unnoticed and eventually drowned.
The couple officiated their relationship on November 6th, 2022, six days after the death of their son Ifeanyi.
“Before I went on break, I actually had an album ready. I had it all ready, but we redid the album. I travelled, and I am married. A lot of different things, but we are ready to get back on the road,” Davido said.
