Woman claims Sunny Ade is her father, details years-long paternity dispute

A Nigerian woman has claimed that King Sunny Ade, the juju music singer, is her biological father.

The woman, named Elizabeth Temitope Ayeni, detailed a years-long paternity dispute in an interview with Punch.

She said her aged mother revealed this in 2019 after misleading her about her biological father for years.

Ayeni said she became inquisitive after a prophet told her there is a secret her mother was  hiding from her.

The woman said her mother told her Sunny Ade is her father after decades of withholding this information.

Ayeni recounted how unsuccessful trials to get through to the music star led her to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for help.

She said all effort to get Sunny Ade is still futile even after the NHRC sent him letters.

She further said the intent was to establish a relationship with him rather than to get financial benefits.

Sunny Ade is believed to have married up to seven wives.

Below, Ayeni narrates her attempt to connect with the singer:

“In 2019, a pastor told me to ask my mother to reveal a secret to me. First, I didn’t take it seriously until my husband told me to. So I called my mother and she confessed to me.

“My mother said the man I had always known as my father, isn’t my biological father. She said my biological father is Niyi and he is from Ondo state. When I asked who Niyi is, she said Sunny Ade the singer.

“My mother said it all began when she was still living with her father. Then, her father wanted to marry her off to an aged man but she refused because she had met Sunny Ade earlier and was two months pregnant for him.

“She said she eventually got married to the aged man since she couldn’t get in touch with Sunny Ade anymore. After getting married, my mother said she went in search of Sunny Ade but couldn’t find him.

“She went back to her parent’s place after the search and delivered me there. So, when I was two-year-old my mother left me with my grandma and remarried. Since the confession, I have been searching for Sunny Ade.

“I also went to a festival where he performed but couldn’t get through to him. Every effort to meet with him has been fruitless so I went to NHRC for help.

“NHRC has also taken two letters and photographs to him but to no avail. All I want is to know my background not because Sunny Ade is wealthy.”