The father of late Nigerian gospel singer Olayemi Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings, has challenged reports about his son’s age and disclosed a disagreement with the singer’s wife over where he should be buried.
In an interview, the father said the singer was born in July 1992 and was 34 at the time of his death. He added that his son was born Sodiq, a Muslim name, before later converting to Christianity.
“My son is 34 years, not 44. People are just making different assumptions. I, the father, know when I gave birth to him,” he said.
According to him, Toluwanisings lost his mother six months after he was born in 1992 and was subsequently raised by his maternal relatives.
The father recalled that he was attending a ceremony on October 14 when he received an urgent call asking him to return home. Soon after, he began seeing pictures of his son online with RIP messages.
He said he later contacted the singer’s wife to discuss burial plans. She suggested a cemetery or a church, while he proposed burying his son inside the house the singer built.
The father said the wife turned down the proposal, as she would not be comfortable living in a house where her husband was buried.
He then asked that the body be taken to the family’s village and laid to rest beside the singer’s late mother.
“If they won’t allow him to be buried inside his house, they should bring him down to the village where his mother is and bury him beside her,” he said.
Toluwanisings died in Ibadan on October 14, less than 24 hours after ministering at Bidemi Olaoba’s In His Presence worship programme. His personal assistant, Babadunni Gbolabo, said the singer suddenly slumped and was taken to several hospitals. The family has yet to disclose an official cause of death.
The family has announced a Night of Tributes and Service of Songs for Tuesday, October 27, at Hall of Grace, Jogor Centre, Ibadan, at 3pm.
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