The paternal grandmother of late gospel singer Toluwanisings has broken her silence in a deeply emotional interview, revealing a strained relationship with her grandson while taking a firm stand on where he must be buried.
Speaking with Dumininu, the elderly woman said the popular minister never called her regularly and offered almost no financial support during his lifetime, and she insists he should be laid to rest only in the house he built.
She explained that her family had taken good care of the singer’s late mother, treating her as one of their own. Despite that, contact remained limited.
“We took care of his mother very well like our own but Toluwanisings doesn’t call me then and even when I want to call people will advise me not to. I didn’t even know he has built a house. I just even knew of recent that he is a popular Christian singer,” she said.
When asked what her grandson did for her, the grandmother was blunt.
“He never gives me money at all even one kobo. It’s even one girl around one time ago that I gave his number to help me call him so that I can even hear his voice and he will just greet me and all. Even when I complained he doesn’t come to see me he will be like oh mummy ‘I have been very busy with work’ and after that he only sent 10 thousand just like three times and that was it.”
She added that he never bought her medicine or provided any other form of care. Still, news of his death left her devastated.
“But when I heard about his death I was very touched and it’s a deep sorrow for me even though he doesn’t do anything for me.”
On the burial dispute that has divided the family, the grandmother was unequivocal. She rejected any plan to lay him beside his late mother’s grave.
“It is my wish for him to be buried inside the house he built, they should not come and put him beside his mother grave at all, I will not allow it.”
Her comments come as the wider family continues to clash with the singer’s widow over final resting place. The father has publicly preferred burial inside the house the musician built in Ibadan or, alternatively, beside the late mother in Ikirun, Osun State. An uncle has also demanded a full investigation into the sudden death before any burial and insisted the body should eventually rest at the home where the widow and children live. The widow has reportedly preferred a conventional cemetery.
Toluwanisings, whose full name was Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji, died in the early hours of 14 October 2026 after collapsing at his Ibadan residence. The family confirmed the news and asked for prayers for his wife and two young children.