King Sunny Ade's Children Publicly Clash Over His Well-being, Access

A family dispute has erupted within the household of legendary juju musician, King Sunny Ade (KSA), with some of his children publicly at odds over his current well-being and accessibility.

Damilola Esther, a daughter of the iconic singer and guitarist, has taken to social media to voice serious concerns regarding her father's welfare. In a series of online posts, she directly accused her step-brother, Dayo, of essentially holding their father "hostage" and alleged that Dayo has been booking KSA for performances without fulfilling the engagements.

Damilola's accusations extended further, calling for the apprehension of Dayo, whom she referred to as KSA's manager. She alleged that Dayo has been "stealing" from their father and expressed concern that he might attempt to flee, referencing his UK visa.

Her social media posts conveyed a sense of urgency and distress, with one stating, "Dad told my brother that he wants to go home. Where is he? Where are his phones? He has not been online or picking his calls. Where is he?" Another post explicitly demanded action: "I want Dayo (manager) apprehended. I want him to provide all the money they have been stealing from him. He has a UK visa, thinking he can run."

However, Dayo, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, vehemently refuted these allegations, asserting that their father is "hale and hearty." He clarified that he is not KSA's "official manager" but is simply assisting his father with these responsibilities.

Dayo provided details of KSA's recent activities to support his claims, stating, "The allegation is false. On Saturday (April 26, 2025), my dad performed at the 60th birthday party of a fan. The event took place at 16 Musa Yar’Adua Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. He still had rehearsals with members of his band last week. He will perform in Akure (Ondo State capital) on May 1."

He suggested that Damilola's concerns might stem from her emotional state, noting, "She (Damilola) is not in the right frame of mind for her to have made those posts. On Easter Sunday, she called me and said she wanted to speak with dad, because she doesn’t live in Nigeria. I gave the phone to my dad, and they spoke for about 30 minutes. I then told her that if she wanted to see him, she could come to Nigeria."

Dayo expressed his disapproval of Damilola's public accusations, stating, "The moment she started making nasty comments about dad, she crossed the line. You cannot speak ill of my father and expect me to still reckon with you, no matter who you are. Even my mother wouldn’t do that. Why would you (Damilola) go on social media and call daddy names?"

He further indicated that King Sunny Ade himself would be releasing a statement to provide clarity on the situation, urging the public to disregard Damilola's claims. "Kindly ignore all she has said. KSA will release a statement on social media within 24 hours. And if you are free, you can join him in Akure for his performance on May 1. He will be glad to have an interaction with you, and answer questions on what you have heard on social media about him," Dayo said.

Clarifying his role, Dayo reiterated that he is not KSA's official manager but is merely "helping out" in the interim. "I am not an official manager. I just assist my father. I have my businesses. As I explained to her (Damilola), I don’t have any employment letter, and I am not on the payroll," he explained. He emphasized that this arrangement was at KSA's request and that his father is comfortable with his assistance.

Another son, David, echoed Dayo's sentiments, directly refuting Damilola's claims. In a separate interview with The PUNCH, he asserted, "As I’m speaking with you, daddy is fine. He is not working under duress. He just finished an event. I can tell you with proof and evidences that he is fine." David also offered to provide further information to reassure the public.

However, adding another layer of complexity to the situation, respected journalist Olawale Olaleye shared a contrasting perspective. In a social media post, Olaleye claimed that KSA had become inaccessible to individuals who were previously in regular contact with him. He noted that Damilola had reached out to him expressing concerns about her father's well-being and lack of communication.

Olaleye further recounted an instance where an associate sought his assistance in contacting KSA for a booking, revealing his own unsuccessful attempts to reach the music icon through various channels. "Curiously, everyone who could reach KSA at a dial could not anymore. And at that point, I gave up and continued with my life of hustling…" Olaleye's account raises questions about KSA's current accessibility and potentially lends some credence to Damilola's concerns, despite the reassurances from Dayo and David.

The public disagreement among King Sunny Ade's children has brought a private family matter into the public spotlight, raising questions about the legendary musician's well-being and the dynamics within his family. As the situation unfolds and KSA is expected to release his own statement, the public will be watching closely for further clarification on these conflicting accounts.