Gospel artistes including Adeyinka Alaseyori and Esther Igbekele led an emotional tribute night for the late gospel singer Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings, at Jogor Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday.
Artistes dressed in white took turns on stage, singing in honour of their colleague and leaving many in the hall in tears. Alaseyori was overcome with emotion while performing Ase Ti Jade, a song she and Toluwanisings recorded together as their careers rose in the gospel industry. She also performed other songs during the night.
Sarah Apekeola took the stage to perform the late singer’s hit Iba, drawing a sombre response from the audience. Peterson Okopi delivered a rendition that moved attendees to tears, while Esther Igbekele performed an inspirational Christian song that stirred strong emotions in the hall. The artistes passed microphones to one another as they took turns singing.
Other gospel artistes present included Lanre Alewilese, Laolu Gbenjo, Akintayo Akinwande, SB Live, Bidemi Olaoba and Mr Gbera. Comedians and entertainers Woli Agba and Dele Omo Woli also joined the gathering. In one particularly moving moment, a member of Toluwanisings’ band recounted how the late singer supported her while she trusted God for the fruit of the womb. She delivered her tribute with her baby on stage.
Toluwanisings’ widow, Akanbi Elizabeth, broke down in tears while paying tribute. Struggling to complete her words, she said:
“Toluwanisings, my dear husband. I will forever miss you. Please do not forget your children and I.”
The night of tributes was organised by friends and colleagues of the late singer rather than his immediate family, according to his management. The clarification came amid ongoing disagreements over burial arrangements.
Toluwanisings died in Ibadan on October 14, 2026, after reportedly slumping. His personal assistant, Babadunni, alleged that the singer was taken to seven or eight hospitals but did not receive the required medical attention at some facilities. The University College Hospital, Ibadan, later said it had no record of him being brought there. A man who identified himself as the singer’s uncle, Lawal Ademola, has called for an impartial investigation into the circumstances.
A separate dispute has also emerged over burial plans. His father, Muniru Adekunle Olayemi, said he wanted his son buried in the house he built or beside his late mother in Osun State, while reports indicated the widow preferred a cemetery or church burial ground. Olayemi has also disputed reports that his son was 44 at the time of his death, saying he was born in July 1992 and was 34. The singer’s grandmother, Sabitiyu Olayemi, has separately alleged that he neglected her for years.
Earlier, Alaseyori had shared her own grief publicly after seeing the widow and the couple’s two children, saying she could not hold back her tears and appealing for support for the family. The tribute night in Ibadan brought colleagues together to sing, remember, and mourn a voice that left too soon.