Nigerian gospel singer Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings, has died after collapsing suddenly in Ibadan and being turned away by multiple hospitals. The family confirmed that the 41-year-old minister of Toluwani Gospel Music Ministry passed away on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
Read “He Passed Away” – Toluwanisings’ Family Announces Singer’s Death
Toluwanisings’ personal assistant, Babadunni Gbolabo, has provided a detailed account of the final hours. He explained that the singer had shown no signs of illness and was in perfect health before the sudden collapse.
“From my understanding, there was nothing wrong with him. He has always been fine and in perfect health condition. I was told he just slumped suddenly,” Gbolabo said.
Gbolabo, who was not present at the exact moment of the incident, received an urgent call and rushed to the scene. Those with the singer tried to resuscitate him before taking him from hospital to hospital across Ibadan. According to the PA, many facilities refused to admit him.
“He was rushed to various hospitals and many of them rejected him because some of them claimed they were on strike. In the process of moving him around, he gave up the ghost,” he recounted.
Then the part that felt like a stab:
“We visited more than 10 hospitals in Ibadan, but alas, we lost him.”
The tragedy struck just hours after Toluwanisings delivered an energetic performance at fellow gospel artiste Bidemi Olaoba’s “In His Presence” worship programme in Ibadan on Tuesday night, October 13. Colleagues and fans later shared clips and photos from that final public appearance, noting his vibrant stage presence.
The singer had previously survived a road accident involving a trailer while returning from a ministration with his band members several months earlier. Known for powerful praise songs including “A Very Big God,” “Onibuore,” “Unreserved Praise” and “E Lagbara,” Toluwanisings had built a devoted following over more than a decade in gospel music.
Tributes continue to pour in from the gospel community and beyond as family members meet to finalise arrangements. Gbolabo noted that the body had not yet been embalmed at the time of his interview and that the family would release further details once decisions were made. The official cause of death has not been disclosed.
The circumstances surrounding the singer’s final hours have sparked widespread discussion about emergency medical response in Nigeria, with many expressing heartbreak over the reported hospital rejections during a critical window.