The death of Nigerian gospel artist Olayemi Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings, has sparked controversy over alleged hospital rejections, disagreements within his family over his burial arrangements and legal threats against people linking celebrities to his death.
Drivetvnews gathered that the gospel artist reportedly died in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, after suddenly slumping. His personal assistant, Babadunni Gbolabo, claimed that efforts to obtain emergency medical treatment for him at several hospitals were unsuccessful.
Since his death, members of his family have called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. His father has also spoken publicly about a disagreement with the singer’s widow over where he should be buried.
Meanwhile, gospel singer Tope Alabi and comedians Ayobami Ajewole, popularly known as Woli Agba, and Olamide Oladimeji, also known as Dele Omo Woli, have threatened legal action over allegations linking them to the singer’s death.
Here are the major developments surrounding the incident.
Alleged Rejection at Several Hospitals
Toluwanisings’ personal assistant, Babadunni Gbolabo, alleged that the singer was taken to between seven and eight hospitals in Ibadan after he suddenly slumped.
Speaking about the incident, Babadunni said he was not present when the singer collapsed but rushed to the scene after receiving a phone call.
“I am Babadunni Gbolabo. I am the PA to ToluwaniSings. When it happened in the morning, I wasn’t here, so they called me and I came,” he said.
According to him, the singer had appeared healthy before the incident. He added that people at the scene attempted to revive him before taking him to different hospitals for medical attention.
“There was nothing wrong with him. He was very fine and in perfect condition. He just slumped. They tried to resuscitate him. They went helter-skelter. They took him to some hospitals, but they were giving excuses.
“Some said doctors were not working because of the strike. Some did not admit him at all. That is how it went. We tried our best, including prayers. We took him to up to seven to eight hospitals in Ibadan, but God said his time was up,” Babadunni said.
The allegations generated reactions from Nigerians, with some linking the reported difficulties in obtaining emergency treatment to industrial action by resident doctors at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
However, UCH Public Relations Officer Funmilayo Enitan said the hospital had resumed services following the suspension of the resident doctors’ strike.
She also said the hospital had no official record confirming that the singer was brought there.
“The hospital is running its services. The strike was a local one within the hospital; it was not a national strike. I was not aware that he was brought to UCH. I was not officially informed that he was brought to UCH. There was no record of it with the management,” Enitan said.
Babadunni subsequently disclosed that the singer’s body had been taken to a mortuary, adding that the family would determine the next steps after consultations.
The claims of hospital rejection have not been independently established in the reports, while UCH said it had no record confirming that Toluwanisings was brought to the facility.
Father Disputes Singer’s Reported Age
Following the singer’s death, his father, Muniru Adekunle Olayemi, spoke about his son’s upbringing and disputed reports that the gospel artist was 44 years old when he died.
In an interview that circulated online on October 25, Olayemi said his son was born in July 1992 and was 34 at the time of his death.
“My son is 34 years, not 44. People are just making different assumptions. I, the father, know when I gave birth to him,” he said.
The father disclosed that the singer was initially given the Muslim name Sodiq Olayemi Bayonle before later embracing Christianity.
He explained that the singer’s mother died when he was about six months old. According to him, the family transported her remains from Kano to her hometown in Agba, Osun State, after which her relatives requested to raise the child.
Olayemi said his son subsequently grew up with his maternal relatives, with support from other family members.
He recalled that Toluwanisings attended Methodist Secondary School in Agba before proceeding to Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.
According to the father, the singer later moved to Lagos, where he met the woman who became his wife through their involvement in a church choir.
He described his son as supportive and caring, saying he maintained a close relationship with his younger half-siblings and provided financial assistance to the family.
Olayemi also claimed that his son had promised to help establish one of his younger half-siblings a day before his death.
“He has really tried for me as a father,” he said.
Father and Wife Reportedly Disagree Over Burial Arrangements
Another controversy emerged after the singer’s father spoke about a disagreement with his daughter-in-law over where his son should be buried.
Olayemi said he wanted the gospel artist buried in the house he had built or beside his late mother in Osun State.
According to him, he contacted the singer’s wife after learning of his death to discuss the burial arrangements.
He claimed that his daughter-in-law proposed burying the singer in a cemetery or church, while he preferred that his son be laid to rest at the house he had built.
The father said his daughter-in-law opposed the idea because she would not feel comfortable living in a house where her husband was buried.
He subsequently proposed that the singer’s remains be taken to Ikirun, Osun State, and buried beside his mother.
“If they won’t allow him to be buried inside his house, they should bring him down to the village where his mother is and bury him beside her,” he said.
The wife’s account of the reported disagreement was not included in the reports, and the final burial location had not been publicly confirmed.
Uncle Calls for Impartial Investigation
The controversy surrounding the singer’s death intensified after a man who identified himself as his uncle, Lawal Ademola, called for an impartial investigation.
In an interview with Dunmininu Kingdom, posted on Facebook on October 26, Ademola appealed to the government, community leaders and law enforcement authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.
“Please help us, our elders, as we seek a proper investigation into the death of Sodiq. You who are the government, our leaders, and the law, please enforce the law and empower the investigation so that there won’t be biased judgments or victimisation.
“Nobody should interfere or try to cover things up regarding Sodiq, because this has deeply affected us,” he said.
In another video, the man recounted a visit to the singer’s home and discussed the disagreement over his burial.
He said some relatives wanted the singer buried at the house where he had lived with his wife and children, while others proposed taking his remains to Ikirun.
The uncle also called for the burial to be delayed until the investigation was completed.
In a separate appeal, another report quoted a family member as saying the entire family had agreed to suspend burial arrangements because of their grief and desire to establish the cause of death.
The family has urged government officials, religious leaders, traditional rulers and other Nigerians to support efforts to determine the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.
Tope Alabi Threatens Legal Action Over Allegations
Gospel singer Tope Alabi has threatened legal action against a Canada-based pastor identified in reports as Tayo Kumuyi, also known as Pastor Tayo Ministries, over publications allegedly linking her to Toluwanisings’ death and those of other gospel ministers.
Alabi’s solicitors, Oakmount Legal Practitioners, reportedly issued a cease-and-desist letter dated October 24, 2026, demanding that the publications be removed and retracted, alongside an apology from the operators of the Facebook page.
The letter, titled “Cease and Desist: Malicious and Defamatory Publications and Threats Against Our Client,” described itself as a final demand for the removal of the publications, a retraction and an apology within 24 hours.
According to the legal document, posts published between October 20 and 24 allegedly accused Alabi of involvement in murder and ritual killings, including claims linking her to the deaths of several gospel ministers.
Rejecting the allegations, the lawyers said:
“These statements accuse our client of murder and of ritual killing. There is no more serious allegation that can be made against a person, least of all a minister of the gospel. They are false in every particular.”
The solicitors challenged the publisher to provide evidence to support the claims, stating that no investigation, police finding or court decision had established the allegations.
The letter also stated that Alabi had mourned Toluwanisings publicly and privately and had no involvement in his death or that of anyone else.
The lawyers accused the page operator of exploiting public grief and damaging their client’s reputation.
They also cited a subsequent post allegedly directed at Alabi after she issued a public notice warning against defamation on October 23.
Quoting the post, the solicitors wrote: “Tope Alabi, no letter will save you from my hand. Your only option is leaving your hiding place.”
They described the statement as a threat of harm and warned that the alleged publications could lead to legal action for libel under applicable laws.
The lawyers demanded the removal and retraction of the publications and an apology within 24 hours. The reports did not establish whether a lawsuit had subsequently been filed.
Woli Agba and Dele Omo Woli Also Threaten Legal Action
Comedians Ayobami Ajewole, popularly known as Woli Agba, and Olamide Oladimeji, also known as Dele Omo Woli, have also threatened legal action against individuals circulating allegations linking them to Toluwanisings’ death.
Woli Agba disclosed the development in a public notice shared on his Instagram page on October 25.
The notice, issued by their solicitors, Gemgold Solicitors, warned members of the public against publishing or sharing what the lawyers described as false and defamatory allegations against the entertainers.
Dated October 23, 2026, the notice stated that the allegations were intended to damage the reputations of their clients, expose them to public ridicule and encourage hostility against them.
“Our Clients’ attention has been drawn to certain defamatory publications and online broadcasts containing false, baseless, and malicious allegations against them. These publications appear calculated to tarnish our Clients’ hard-earned reputations, expose them to public ridicule, and incite hostility against them.
“We state categorically that these allegations, particularly those falsely associating our Clients with the demise of Toluwanisings, are entirely false, unsubstantiated, and unfounded,” the notice read.
The lawyers warned that individuals who originated, published, forwarded or endorsed defamatory material could face legal consequences.
They urged members of the public to stop circulating unverified allegations and remove defamatory content previously shared on their personal pages, blogs or social media platforms.
The solicitors also warned that individuals and media platforms that continued to publish the allegations could face legal action, including claims for damages and court orders to stop further publication.
The legal threats followed the circulation of online allegations linking several gospel personalities and entertainers to the singer’s death.
However, the claims remain disputed allegations, and the reports did not establish that any of the named individuals had been found responsible for the singer’s death.
Family Announces Tribute Night
Amid the controversy, Toluwanisings’ family announced a tribute night to celebrate his life and legacy.
The event, titled “A Night of Tributes: Honouring the Life and Legacy of Toluwanisings,” was scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at the Hall of Grace, Jogor Centre, Ibadan, at 3 p.m.
The announcement, shared through the singer’s verified Instagram account, invited attendees to wear white.
The family described the occasion as “a night of love, reflection, heartfelt tributes, cherished memories, and thanksgiving to God.”
Reflecting on the singer’s impact, the announcement stated:
“Some lives leave footprints that time can never erase. Some voices may fall silent, but their songs, impact, and memories will forever echo in our hearts.”
The family also appealed for financial support for the singer’s wife and two daughters, whom he left behind.
The tribute night followed a candlelight procession held in his honour, which attracted emotional reactions from fans and colleagues in the gospel music community.
What Is Known About Toluwanisings’ Death?
Toluwanisings died in Ibadan on October 14, 2026, after reportedly slumping.
His personal assistant alleged that the singer was taken to several hospitals in an attempt to obtain emergency medical treatment, but the claims of hospital rejection have not been independently established. UCH, meanwhile, said it had no record confirming that the singer was brought to the facility.
His father has disputed reports about his age and spoken publicly about a disagreement over his burial arrangements. A man identifying himself as the singer’s uncle has also called for an impartial investigation and urged the family to delay the burial until the circumstances surrounding the death are clarified.
At the same time, Tope Alabi, Woli Agba and Dele Omo Woli have threatened legal action over allegations linking them to the singer’s death.
No findings establishing the cause of Toluwanisings’ death or the responsibility of any of the named individuals were provided in the reports.
