23rd March, 2023
Davido, a musical artiste and entertainer known for his refreshing take on African tunes, lost his son Ifeanyi Adeleke whom he had with Chioma Avril Rowland on the first of November 2023.
The boy at age 3 died from a drowning accident in the family’s private house while the artiste and his fiancee had traveled for an event in Ibadan.
Ifeanyi was his only son. The bond between him and the boy was so strong that it inspired the “A Better Time’ album.
The loss definitely broke him. Davido took a break from the entertainment industry.
His first appearance in the public after the loss was at the inauguration of his uncle Ademola on the 27th of November.
It was not the usual David. His eyes were swollen. He lost weight but stood strong for his family.
Prior to the inauguration, Davido and Chioma secretly tied the knot with only a few family members and friends in attendance. The ceremony was done low-key with no cameras allowed.
The wedding was to be held in 2023 as told by the artiste but it was reported that Chioma said there was nothing for her in the relationship anymore as she has already lost her son which caused the marriage date to be brought forward as a way of comfort for the family in their bereavement.
However, during his time away from the music industry, Davido hinted to fans that he would be back in March 2023 and he did return.
He came back with the “Timeless” album which is set for release on March 31st.
Announcing his return, Davido said, “There is a time for everything. A time to grieve and a time to heal. A time to laugh and a time to dance. A time to speak and a time for silence”.
How Davido rose again
A friend of the singer, in a chat with PM News, gave an insight into how Davido survived the storm.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the friend said “The greatest force for His return was God and David himself. David is a strong man, I will not survive what he survived. The pain was much but at some point, David had to be strong for Chioma.
“Chioma was over, she was done, she lost all desires to live but with the help of God and David, she began to get back to life gradually.”
The source noted the Adeleke family was another strong reason for Davido’s strength.
He said: “The other part is the Adeleke family, I have never seen a family like that before. Their bond is so strong. David and Chioma were never left alone. The family rallied around David to make sure he doesn’t drown himself in sorrow but ultimately God dey for David back (God is helping David). It’s difficult to totally forget such pain.”