Nigerian entrepreneur and influencer Sophia Momodu has opened up about the emotional trauma and public backlash she experienced after becoming pregnant outside marriage while she was the daughter of a pastor.
Momodu, who is the mother of Afrobeats star Davido’s first daughter, Imade Adeleke, shared the deeply personal account during a side event held in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
Speaking about her experience, Sophia said she was mocked because of the circumstances surrounding her pregnancy and the expectations attached to being a pastor’s daughter.
She described the period as extremely difficult and said the criticism affected her confidence and ability to speak publicly about her own experience.
“I am a pastor’s daughter who got pregnant out of wedlock by a global superstar. And I was mocked. It was crazy. I had to find myself in the midst of all that.”
Sophia Momodu recalls painful experience
READ ALSO: Speed Darlington Threatens to Fight Burna Boy if They Meet
According to Sophia, becoming pregnant outside marriage placed her under intense scrutiny, particularly because of her religious family background.
She said the situation was made more difficult by the public attention surrounding her relationship with Davido, who is one of Africa’s most prominent music stars.
The entrepreneur explained that although she was already a well-known person, the criticism surrounding her pregnancy left her struggling to express herself.
“For a long time, I didn’t have a voice despite being famous,” she said.
Sophia added that she was constantly worried and emotionally drained by the negative criticism surrounding her story.
She also spoke about the cultural expectations placed on women in Nigerian society, particularly those raised in religious families.
“If you are a Nigerian, you will know that it is almost a taboo for a pastor’s daughter to have a child out of wedlock,” she said.
“I had to find my strength”
Sophia said that one of the most difficult parts of the experience was dealing with the perception that she should remain silent because of the circumstances surrounding her pregnancy.
She recalled being repeatedly encouraged to keep quiet about her experience, which she said contributed to her losing her voice despite her public profile.
However, she eventually began to reclaim her story and speak openly about what she had gone through.
Her comments at the UN-related event provided a glimpse into a period of her life that had previously been widely discussed in the public sphere but, according to her, was also personally painful.
Sophia said finding her voice required her to confront the shame and criticism associated with her experience rather than allowing those reactions to define her.
Sophia and Davido welcomed Imade
Sophia and Davido welcomed their daughter, Imade Adeleke, in 2015.
The circumstances surrounding their relationship have remained a subject of public interest over the years, particularly because of the singer’s global profile.
Sophia has continued to build her own career as an entrepreneur and public figure while raising her daughter.
Her latest comments show another side of her experience, focusing less on celebrity and more on the emotional consequences of public scrutiny.
Speaking out about stigma
Sophia’s appearance during the UN General Assembly week also placed her personal story within a broader conversation about women, stigma and the pressure surrounding public perceptions of motherhood.
She said that sharing her experience has helped her recognise that she was not alone.
According to reports on her remarks, hearing from other women who had experienced similar situations helped encourage her to speak more openly about her own journey.
For Sophia, the experience has therefore evolved from one marked by criticism and silence into one in which she is able to discuss her story publicly.
Her decision to speak about the experience also highlights how social expectations can affect women who become mothers outside traditional expectations.
Finding her voice again
Looking back, Sophia said the criticism surrounding her pregnancy had a significant effect on her confidence.
Despite being famous and having a public platform, she said she struggled to make her own voice heard because of the negativity surrounding her story.
Her remarks suggest that the emotional impact extended beyond the initial criticism, influencing how she viewed herself and her place in public conversations.
By speaking about it now, Sophia appears determined to take ownership of a chapter of her life that was once largely defined by how other people viewed it.
The entrepreneur’s story has since generated conversations online, with many people discussing the pressure women face when their personal circumstances conflict with societal or religious expectations.
For Sophia Momodu, however, the message is ultimately about reclaiming her voice and refusing to allow past criticism to define her identity.
The Guardian Nigeria – Sophia Momodu shares pregnancy struggles at UNGA
