Veteran Nigerian folk singer Beautiful Nubia has sparked a heated debate online after accusing two gospel artists of stealing melodies from his original work.
In a strongly worded social media post, the respected songwriter alleged that elements of his 2002 track Seven Lives were copied without permission and used in later releases.
According to him, the first instance dates back to 2012, when gospel musician Yinka Ayefele released My Faith in God (Igbagbo Ireti), which he claims borrowed heavily from his composition. He also alleged that a more recent track, Amin, by BBO, follows the same melodic structure.
Speaking bluntly, the folk icon did not mince words about what he described as a recurring pattern.
“There was Yinka Ayefele with ‘My Faith in God (Igbagbo Ireti)’ in 2012 and now someone called BBO with ‘Amin’ this year. Both stole their melodies from our original song ‘Seven Lifes’. When will Nigerians (especially the so-called gospel musicians) learn to respect copyright?”
He insisted that the similarities between the songs are too obvious to ignore and questioned the integrity of musicians, especially in the gospel space.
“When will Nigerians (especially so-called gospel singers) learn to respect copyright? Stealing na stealing, e no get another name. Well, you could call it thievery.”
The allegation has since triggered strong reactions across social media, with fans and industry watchers debating originality, copyright protection, and ethical standards in Nigerian music.
As of this report, neither Ayefele nor BBO has publicly responded to the claims.