…Personal assistant says singer was taken to seven or eight hospitals after suddenly collapsing in Ibadan
Popular Nigerian gospel singer Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji, widely known as Toluwanisings, has died at the age of 41 after reportedly being taken to as many as eight hospitals in Ibadan, Oyo State, following his sudden collapse.
The singer’s personal assistant, Babadunni Gbolabo, disclosed that efforts to save his life were frustrated by difficulties securing medical attention, with some hospitals reportedly citing doctors’ absence, an ongoing strike or an inability to admit him.
Toluwanisings died in the early hours of Wednesday, October 14, 2026, according to a statement released by his family on his official Instagram page.
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Speaking at the late singer’s residence in Alakia, Ibadan, on Thursday, Gbolabo said the gospel artiste had shown no signs of illness before suddenly collapsing.
He explained that he was away when the incident occurred but received an emergency call and subsequently joined others in efforts to secure treatment for the singer.
“They carried him and tried everything to save him. At every hospital he was taken to, some said the doctors were on strike, some said the doctors weren’t on the ground, and some said they couldn’t admit him,” Gbolabo recounted.
He said the frantic search for medical attention took the rescue team to several health facilities across Ibadan without a successful intervention.
“We tried our best to save him, with prayers and everything. We took him to seven to eight hospitals in Ibadan, Oyo State. But God said it was his time,” he added.
Although the personal assistant attributed the difficulties to the unavailability of doctors and hospital admission services, the specific hospitals involved and the circumstances of their reported inability to attend to the singer were not independently established in the account.
Gbolabo maintained that Toluwanisings appeared healthy before the incident, making his sudden death particularly shocking to those close to him.
The family subsequently confirmed the singer’s death in an emotional statement posted on his Instagram page, announcing that he had “said goodbye to the world” in the early hours of Wednesday.
The family appealed to fans, colleagues and well-wishers to remember his wife, children and other relatives in their prayers as they mourned his passing.
It also disclosed that burial arrangements would be announced in due course.
Gbolabo said the singer’s remains had been taken to a mortuary, while relatives and members of his band awaited further decisions from the family.
“The next step is for the family members who are already here, so we are doing everything together,” he said, adding that some relatives had yet to arrive.
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Toluwanisings was celebrated for his energetic praise ministrations, distinctive voice and ability to engage worshippers through songs deeply rooted in Yoruba gospel music traditions.
His popular songs include Unreserved Praise, A Very Big God, Onibuore, E Lagbara and Owo Re Meji Meji, which earned him a following among gospel music lovers.
His death came months after he was involved in a road accident alongside members of his band, although no connection has been established between that incident and his sudden collapse.
News of his death initially generated confusion and concern among fans on social media before his family officially confirmed the development.
Tributes have since poured in from colleagues, gospel artistes, entertainers and admirers, many of whom described his passing as a painful loss to the Nigerian gospel music community.
Among those who reacted were lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi and comedian Woli Agba, who had earlier called for prayers for the singer.
Beyond the outpouring of grief, the account of his final hours has raised questions about access to emergency medical care and the difficulties patients may encounter when seeking urgent treatment.
However, the cause of Toluwanisings’ collapse and death has not been publicly established.
He is survived by his wife, children and other family members.
