Sunny Ade’s Daughter Accuses Step-Brother of ‘Kidnapping’ Music Icon, Alleges He’s Being Forced to Work Under Pressure
Damilola Adeniyi Adegeye, daughter of legendary Nigerian juju musician King Sunny Ade, has publicly accused her step-brother and the singer’s manager, Dayo Adegeye, of abducting the 78-year-old icon and forcing him to work under duress.
In a series of emotional Instagram posts, Damilola alleged that her father is being held against his will and exploited by Dayo, with the help of his mother, two brothers Demola and Kenny and the family’s longtime driver, Ade. She claimed the group has taken control of the singer's life, withheld his whereabouts from the wider family, and continues to schedule performances while allegedly denying the family access to both the musician and the financial proceeds from his work.
“King Sunny Ade has been kidnapped,” Damilola wrote on Instagram. “The manager is the culprit along with his mother, brothers (Demola and Kenny), and his driver Ade.”
She further stated that the family is in the dark about the veteran performer’s current location, accusing Dayo of misleading relatives while continuing to book him for shows.
“No one knows his whereabouts in the family, and everyone is looking for him, yet these guys are not telling us where he is,” she alleged.
Damilola, who is based in the United Kingdom, voiced concern over the musician’s wellbeing, saying he is being made to perform under pressure despite his age and health. “Stop booking the shows and let him rest,” she said. “He keeps working, but the family is not seeing the money!”
She also made an urgent appeal to the Nigerian police for intervention, claiming that the situation amounts to an emergency. “Please don’t book him now. He is working under duress!”
As of the time of this report, neither King Sunny Ade nor Dayo Adegeye has issued an official response to the allegations. The police have also not confirmed whether an investigation has been launched.
The shocking accusations have stirred concern among fans of the music icon, whose decades-long career has made him one of Nigeria’s most respected and enduring cultural figures.
