Entrepreneur and mother of Davido’s first child, Sophia Momodu, has recounted the backlash she faced after getting pregnant out of wedlock.

Momodu spoke during a side panel at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, in a video shared on her Instagram Story on Tuesday.

The businesswoman, who is a pastor’s daughter, said the experience was heavily stigmatised, especially in Nigerian society.

“This is my life story. I am a pastor’s daughter who got pregnant out of wedlock by a global superstar. And I was mocked. It was crazy. And I had to find my strength in the midst of all of that,” she said.

“And for the longest time, I didn’t have a voice. I was famous, I was popular, but I didn’t have a voice. It kept getting drowned out by whatever negativity was around that story.

“If you’re Nigerian and you’re here, you know that it’s almost a taboo to be a pastor’s daughter and have a child out of wedlock.”

Momodu said she only found the courage to speak publicly after hearing other women share similar stories, which gave her a platform to own her narrative.

“So, I needed that story to be truly understood, and I’m so grateful for Stephanie because her story gave me that platform,” she added.

She revealed that she was once told to remain silent about her experience.

“And then, an aunt called me one day and said a friend of hers had called her to talk to me to please keep quiet, because this is not a topic that we are allowed to talk about as Black women,” she said.

According to her, speaking at various forums, including radio stations in South Africa, made her realise she was not alone.

“It was just amazing to see that I was not alone. There were so many women that came to me and said, ‘Listen, it happened to me too.’

“I’m grateful for the platform, I’m grateful to be able to tell my story, and because of people like Stephanie and these amazing women on this panel, I don’t think I would ever stop telling my story,” Momodu added.

Momodu and Afrobeats star Davido, whose real name is David Adeleke, welcomed their daughter, Imade Adeleke, on May 14, 2015.

Though they had an on-and-off relationship that ended, they never married.

Their co-parenting journey has been marked by public disputes over financial support and access to their child.

In April 2024, Davido filed a suit at the Lagos State High Court seeking joint custody and unrestricted access to Imade.

Momodu opposed the application, stating she had never denied him access.

Momodu, born in 1987, is the founder of the Precious Jewels Foundation and also runs a fashion and beauty brand.

She previously featured on The Real Housewives of Lagos.

Her appearance at the UNGA 81 side events is part of her advocacy work for vulnerable women and children. (The Nation)