Sharon Adeleke, the elder sister of Nigerian music star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has revealed that she did not fully appreciate the extent of her family’s wealth until she moved to Nigeria at about 21.
Speaking during an interview on The Fashion Roundtable, Sharon described her upbringing as relatively ordinary despite being the daughter of businessman Adedeji Adeleke.
She said her father provided for the family but did not raise his children with an extravagant lifestyle or make the full extent of their financial position central to their upbringing.
“I didn’t even know we had money until I was like 21, to be honest with you. That’s when I moved to Nigeria,” she said.
Sharon also recalled working from a young age to earn extra money. During high school, she said, she cleaned changing rooms to earn about £5 a week.
She explained that working was part of her normal routine, adding that she continued to take up jobs while growing up and later worked as a professional babysitter for several years.
Her experience caring for children, she said, influenced her decision to establish a crèche.
Sharon also reflected on how growing up with financial comfort can affect business development. She suggested that having too much readily available could sometimes reduce the motivation to handle tasks personally or develop certain entrepreneurial skills.
However, she did not present her upbringing as evidence that she had failed in business. Rather, she reflected on how her experiences shaped her approach to work and entrepreneurship.
Her account offers a personal perspective on growing up in a wealthy family while being encouraged to work, earn money and develop practical skills.
The comments have also drawn attention to the contrast between public perceptions of wealthy Nigerian families and the different ways individual households approach parenting, financial discipline and independence.
For Sharon, the experience of moving to Nigeria at 21 appears to have marked a turning point in her awareness of her family’s financial standing and how others perceived it.