‘I Didn’t Know We Had Money Until I Was 21’ - Davido’s Sister Sharon Adeleke

 

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Growing up in a wealthy family does not always mean having a life filled with luxury. For Sharon Ademefun, Davido’s elder sister, childhood was far removed from the extravagant lifestyle many people might associate with the Adeleke family today.

 

Sharon says she did not fully understand how much money her family had until she moved to Nigeria at the age of 21. Before then, she had lived what she considered an ordinary life, attending school and taking up jobs to earn her own money.

 

Speaking on The Fashion Roundtable, hosted by Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, she recalled how she earned £5 a week by cleaning her school’s changing rooms while she was still in high school.

 

“I didn’t even know we have money till like 21, to be honest with you. I lived a very normal life outside of my schools,” she said.

 

For Sharon, having a wealthy father did not mean she could simply ask for money whenever she wanted it. She explained that her father, billionaire businessman Adedeji Adeleke, ensured that his children had what they needed without making wealth an obvious part of their upbringing.

 

“I’ve always worked because my dad will give you just enough. He never let us know,” she said.

 

Her experience was not limited to cleaning school facilities. Sharon also worked as a babysitter for about five years, a job she reportedly continued until her senior year in college. That experience would later play a role in her decision to establish a crèche.

 

Looking back, she said her family's lifestyle was comfortable but not necessarily the kind of luxury people might imagine when they hear about the Adeleke family's wealth.

 

“We had money to do stuff, but it was very normal. It was not like what people see now, out of the ordinary. There was no PJ. There was no G-Wagon. It was normal. It was above average.”

 

Her description offers a different picture of growing up in a wealthy household. Rather than spending her school years surrounded by private jets and expensive cars, Sharon remembers having a fairly ordinary routine and finding ways to earn money herself.

 

The jobs she took also gave her experience outside the family environment. Her years as a babysitter, in particular, reportedly helped shape her interest in childcare and influenced her decision to establish a crèche.

 

Sharon's account suggests that her father's approach to raising his children was not simply about providing financial comfort. It was also about ensuring they understood work and had experiences of their own, even when their family could afford a much more luxurious lifestyle.

 

For someone who grew up in a family whose wealth became increasingly visible to the public, her recollection is a reminder that her childhood experience was not necessarily what outsiders might have expected.

 

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