Nigerian music sensation, David Adeleke, widely known as Davido, recently revealed how his father has impacted his annual charity donations to orphanages. During an interview on The Morning Hustle podcast on Tuesday, Davido shared a significant moment from 2021 when he posted his bank details on Twitter to mark his birthday.
“I casually tweeted my account number on my birthday, and my fans ended up sending me almost $400,000. I was unsure about what to do with the money,” he recalled.
Davido explained that his father soon caught wind of the situation and urged him to rethink how he should handle the funds. “My dad called and said, ‘You know you can’t keep that money, right?’ I was shocked and replied, ‘What do you mean I can’t keep my money? It’s mine.'”
After that conversation, Davido decided to donate the entire sum to orphanages. “I gave it all to motherless babies’ homes. We continued with this tradition for the next two years. The first year, it was all from donations, and the next year, I added my own money. I also contributed my own funds this year.”
He further explained, “This has been a yearly event through my foundation, and we hope it will expand. There are about 500 orphanages across the country, and I’ve met people who’ve told me they were direct beneficiaries. It’s heartwarming to know that all those people are praying for me.”
According to PUNCH Online, in November 2021, Davido donated ₦251 million to 292 orphanages as part of his 29th birthday celebration. He raised ₦201 million from fans who sent small contributions, and added ₦50 million from his personal funds.
In July 2023, the artist made another contribution, donating ₦237 million to over 400 orphanages across Nigeria. In February 2024, he announced a ₦300 million donation for orphanages throughout the country and marked his 32nd birthday on November 21 with a similar donation. The latest donation also supported a charity dedicated to tackling drug abuse among youth in Nigeria.
