Toluwanisings' family threatens to exhume singer if buried in cemetery
- The family of gospel singer Toluwanisings says he must be buried beside his late mother in Oyo State, not in a cemetery.
- A family representative, in a video on social media, warned relatives would remove the body if their wish is ignored.
- Reports give the singer's real name as Olayemi Bayonle Bolaji, though one outlet spells it Bayonile Bolaji; he died on 14 October 2026, aged 41.
The family of Nigerian gospel singer Toluwanisings has said it will remove his body from any cemetery where he is buried, insisting he must be laid to rest beside his late mother at their family compound in Oyo State.
A man describing himself as speaking for the family made the position in a video that has been shared widely on social media. He said relatives had reached a common decision and would not accept any other burial plan.
According to the video, the family wants the singer buried at his mother's grave in their father's compound. They dismissed questions about burying him at a house he built, saying those concerns do not change their position.
The singer died on 14 October 2026. He was 41. Vanguard and Leadership gave his real name as Olayemi Bayonle Bolaji, while Naija News wrote Bayonile Bolaji. Family, friends and fans held a candlelight procession in his honour on 20 October.
Why the burial matters
In many Nigerian families, where a loved one is buried is a deeply emotional matter. It can also become a dispute when relatives, a spouse or those organising the funeral disagree.
For fans, the dispute has added pain to an already sad period. Some people commenting online said the family should have a say in where the singer rests. Others asked everyone involved to settle the matter peacefully and with respect for the dead.
The reports do not say who is handling the burial arrangements, whether a date has been fixed, or whether the family has raised the matter formally with anyone. They also do not say what the singer's own wishes were, if any were recorded.
What happens next
No burial date has been announced in the reports. Until the family and whoever is handling the funeral reach an agreement, the question of where the singer will be laid to rest remains open.
The family's threat to remove the body is a statement of intent, not a legal ruling. Nigerian authorities have not commented on the matter in the reports reviewed.
