‘We thought it was a scammer’ — Mayorkun’s mother recounts first encounter with Davido

• Toyin Adewale initially thought Davido was a scammer when he first contacted her son, Mayorkun, via social media.

• ​Davido later called Mayorkun and met him in person, praised his cover of "The Money," and gifted him money and other items.

• ​The encounter led to Mayorkun’s signing to DMW, where he released Eleko and began his rise in the Nigerian music industry.

​The singer’s mother, during a recent interview with Talk To B, revealed that neither she nor her son believed the first direct message purportedly sent by Davido was genuine.

Mayorkun, known for hits such as Holy Father, rose to fame after posting a cover of Davido’s song The Money. The cover caught Davido’s attention and ultimately led to Mayorkun's signing to Davido Music Worldwide (DMW), where he remained from 2016 to 2021.

The actress disclosed that they had initially suspected someone was impersonating the award-winning singer to scam Mayorkun.​

However, Davido later called Mayorkun personally, praised his cover of The Money, and arranged to meet him. During the meeting, the singer reportedly gifted Mayorkun money and other items, marking the beginning of their relationship.

The ace actress noted that the bond between the two artists grew stronger after Mayorkun recorded Eleko with Davido, and that he eventually moved in with him.

She also described Davido as “very pleasant and respectful,” recalling her visit to see where her son was living after joining the singer’s camp.

Speaking, she said: “After the cover he did went viral, he was with his brother when Davido sent a message, but we thought it was a scammer. Davido later said he would call. I was there when Davido called him, and he was so excited he almost went crazy.”

She added, “When he called, Davido told him he liked the cover. He also said he was not in town but would return the following week, and that Mayorkun should send his measurements. When Davido returned, Mayowa and his brother went to meet him, and he gave them a full box of gifts and money. At the time, I was scared because I did not know who Davido was. The next day, they went back, and that was when they recorded ‘Eleko’. It was easy for Mayorkun because he had always loved writing poetry and had been in the choir. After the recording, he and his brother moved in with Davido. After some time, I went to see where they were staying, and when I got there, Davido was very pleasant and respectful.”

​Mayorkun’s career strides have seen him scoop several awards; this includes the highly coveted ‘Next Rated’ gong at The Headies 2018. The Osun State indigene holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

​In 2021, he exited DMW and released his second album, ‘Back In Office' under the Sony Music West Africa division. His third LP, 'Still The Mayor', was released in 2025.