The remains of Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji, a popular Nigerian gospel singer also known as Toluwanisings, has been laid to rest at his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Toluwanisings was buried on Monday in a private ceremony attended by members of his immediate family.
The family decided to lay him to rest at his home following an agreement between his widow and paternal relatives, after the Oyo State Police Command intervened in the disagreement over his burial arrangements.
Funeral activities began with a lying-in-state at about 9 a.m. while a burial service followed at 10 a.m., after which his remains were taken to his residence, where he was finally buried.
The ceremony was restricted to family members, bringing an end to weeks of uncertainty over where the singer would be buried.
The singer died on October 14, although his family did not publicly disclose the circumstances surrounding his passing.
His burial, however, became a subject of disagreement between his widow and members of his paternal family.
His relatives had reportedly called for the burial to be suspended until investigations into his death were concluded. They also insisted that he should be buried in Ikirun, Osun State, beside his late mother.
His uncle, Lawal Ademola Rauf, had publicly expressed the family’s position, warning that they would seek to exhume the singer’s remains if he was buried in a cemetery.
The paternal family also alleged that the singer’s widow, Olayemi Elizabeth Damilola, wanted him buried in a cemetery, a position that contributed to the disagreement over the final burial arrangements.
The dispute eventually appeared to have been resolved after fellow gospel musician Lanre Alewilese announced that the family and the widow had reached an understanding to have the singer buried at his Ibadan residence.
The agreement paved the way for Monday’s funeral, with the police command reportedly helping to broker peace between the parties.
Toluwanisings was widely recognised in gospel music circles for his energetic worship sessions and passionate ministrations. He gained wider attention through his song A Very Big God, which helped establish his presence among gospel music audiences.
