Legendary Nigerian musician, Dr. Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye, better known as King Sunny Ade (KSA), has spoken out to debunk rumours that he was missing or kidnapped.
The 78-year-old juju music icon issued a statement on Tuesday evening through his Instagram page, assuring his fans and the general public that he is “alive and well.”
This came after viral claims made by his daughter, Damilola Esther Adegeye, who raised alarm on social media that her father was missing and possibly being held against his will.
In his statement, King Sunny Ade said the allegations were not only false but harmful to his image and long-standing legacy.
“Contrary to the falsehood and fabricated news dated April 28, 2025, peddled by Damilola Esther Adeniyi-Adegeye and her associates, who declared that I was missing, I hereby state as follows: I, Dr. Sunday Adeniyi-Adegeye, MFR, also known as King Sunny Ade, am alive and well,” the music legend wrote.
He further stated, “It is very important to address the falsehood and fabricated news… and to assure the general public and loved ones that I am alive and safe.”
KSA also warned bloggers and individuals spreading the rumour to stop immediately or be ready to face legal consequences.
The controversy began when Damilola, who lives abroad, posted a series of messages on Instagram on Monday. She accused her stepbrother, Dayo Adegeye, of allegedly holding their father hostage and mismanaging his finances.
In one of her posts, she questioned: “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?”
She went further to demand that Dayo be arrested, accusing him of stealing from the veteran musician. “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,” she wrote.
However, Dayo swiftly denied the allegations. Speaking in an interview, he explained that Damilola’s claims were misleading.
“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… I gave the phone to my dad, and they spoke for about 30 minutes,” Dayo said.
He clarified that he is not King Sunny Ade’s official manager but only assists him occasionally.
Another son, David Adegeye, also came to the family’s defense. He said, “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 evidence that he is fine.”
In a separate video obtained by Premium Times, King Sunny Ade appeared relaxed and cheerful. Speaking from inside a car, he confirmed that he had only taken some time off to rest and was not in any danger.
“Glory to the Almighty Father in heaven. People are more important than clothes; people are the honourary clothes I wear to cover myself. I thank God and all my people around the world. My children said they wanted to see me, and everyone wanted to see me,” he said.
He continued, “During the few days I took to rest, people started saying they hadn’t seen me. I thank God that I didn’t go anywhere, I wasn’t kidnapped, and I didn’t kidnap myself either. I must thank my fans worldwide because people have been calling me non-stop for the past seventy-something hours.”
The Ondo-born singer, who was described by The New York Times as “one of the world’s great band leaders,” also confirmed he had been attending to his business affairs.
“Right now, I’m on my way to a show. I was at a show last Saturday in Lekki, Lagos State, so I’m surprised people are saying I was kidnapped. I wasn’t kidnapped. I thank Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu, and everyone for their concern,” he said.
King Sunny Ade, whose music career spans over five decades, is one of Nigeria’s most celebrated musicians. He is credited with bringing juju music to international audiences, and he was the first Nigerian to receive a Grammy nomination.
Over the years, he has been recognized not only for his music but also for his leadership roles. He once served as the chairman of the Board at the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria.
In his Instagram statement, KSA expressed deep gratitude to fans and well-wishers for their love and support. However, he made it clear that any attempt to damage his reputation with false stories would not go unchallenged.
He said, “I utilise this medium to admonish the blogger(s) responsible for this mischievous act alongside those that take undue privileges to trample on my hard-earned reputation and image to desist forthwith otherwise be prepared to face the wrath of the law.”
