Sharon Adurokiya, Reporting
DAMILOLA Adeniyi, a daughter of veteran Nigerian juju musician King Sunny Ade, has appealed to her father to reconnect with his children, saying they are seeking his presence and affection rather than his money.
Damilola made the emotional appeal in a viral Facebook post shared as the music icon, whose real name is Chief Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye, marks his 80th birthday.
According to her account, Damilola was born in the United Kingdom and came to Nigeria at about the age of three. She said she returned to the country again around the age of nine or 10 to begin secondary school.
She said she had expected to be returning home but instead experienced what she described as years of hardship and sadness.
Damilola claimed that she lived with her father at 17 Ajileye Street, Bariga, Lagos, alongside her grandmother, half-siblings and their mothers.
She alleged that there were periods when there was no food in the house, while school fees and other basic needs were not adequately provided for.
Recalling her childhood, she said she sometimes attended her father’s musical performances and watched as fans celebrated him, while she struggled to understand why there appeared to be little food at home.
“Why are we coming to Daddy’s show when there is no food at home?” she recalled asking herself.
Damilola said the experience left her and other children feeling neglected, despite their love for their father.
She also referred to the death of one of her half-sisters, saying she had continued to have painful questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident and, according to her understanding, the timing of the payment of medical bills.
She stressed that she had remained silent about the issues for years but had now decided to speak publicly.
Damilola said she is currently in the UK caring for her mother while working as a teacher, carer and fashion designer.
Addressing King Sunny Ade directly, she asked why he was not playing the role she believed he should as a father, adding that his children were living in different parts of the world, including Nigeria, the United States and the UK.
She, however, stressed that her appeal was not primarily about financial support.
“We are not asking you for money. Call us. Talk to us. Ask us how life is going. Ask how your children are doing. Show us that you care.”
She also appealed to her father to acknowledge any mistakes and seek reconciliation with his children.
“If you made mistakes, just say ‘I’m sorry,’” she wrote.
Damilola urged the musician to reconnect with his children, saying they were not demanding perfection but wanted him to be present as their father.
Her Yoruba-language message similarly appealed to him to reach out to his children and ask about their welfare.
“A ò béèrè gbogbo owó rẹ. A kan fẹ́ kí o jẹ́ bàbá wa,” she wrote, meaning: “We are not asking for all your money. We just want you to be our father.”
Damilola ended the post with a plea for members of the public to share it widely in the hope that it would reach the celebrated musician.
The allegations and personal account contained in the Facebook post could not be independently verified from the material available to Stonix News, and King Sunny Ade’s response was not included in the post.
The veteran musician, one of Nigeria’s most internationally recognised juju artistes, is marking his 80th birthday today, September 22, 2026.
Meanwhile, the social media is awash with reactions for and against the post, with many netizens urging the legendary octogenarian to reconcile and mend his ways with his numerous children before his departure.
Some also took a swipe at Damilola for bringing such a sensitive family matter to social media, describing the action as irresponsible and unAfrican.
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