Fans Split Over Where Toluwanisings Should Be Buried

Fans and social media users are divided over where late gospel singer Olayemi Bolaji, known as Toluwanisings, should be buried. Some support his family's wish for a home burial, while others worry about how this will affect his widow and children.

The argument has sparked reactions on Instagram and X. Commenters are discussing property rights, cultural practices, the family's motives, and whether burying the singer in the house he built will impact his wife’s future.

On Instagram, Nollywood actress Kudirat Ogunro, also known as Kudi Alagbo, shared her concerns about burying people in residential areas. She wrote, “I said it last month, and I’ll say it again: burying people at home isn’t a good idea. Ojú ti là!

“What if the children grow up and decide to sell the house? Who wants to buy a house with a burial ground?

“Yes, people may buy such properties and exhume the remains, but why create that problem in the first place?

“Personally, I don’t think it’s advisable. Just my opinion, though!”

Popular perfumer Wale Jana also disagreed with the idea of a home burial. He argued that the property could be crucial for the financial future of the singer’s widow and two daughters. Walejana wrote, “I deliberately blocked out all stories about Toluwanisings because it was just too painful; I couldn’t deal until I began to see that his family members were antagonizing his wife and they are insisting he should be buried in the house he just built.”

He quoted Proverbs 13:22, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,” saying the house could secure long-term financial support for the family. “That house Toluwani built before his death is his biggest investment. Toluwani was a man who loved his family and would have wanted the very best for his wife and two daughters; he was obviously the breadwinner of his family. I don’t know about his music royalties but property will always appreciate,” the Instagram user wrote.

Walejana said the widow could rent out the property or sell it, but a grave on the property could complicate those plans. “His wife can decide to rent out the house, convert it to an apartment or simply sell it, but if you bury him there, you have simply tied down the investment!” the user added.

He continued, “If he had 3 houses or more, he would have had the luxury of being buried in one of those houses but don’t bury a man in the only house he has built; you will make it very difficult for his widow and children to enjoy the investment the man left behind.”

Walejana also questioned if the singer would want his family to struggle financially after his death. He noted that maintaining the property could be tough for a widow raising two daughters. “The family members that are now talking and granting interviews don’t really have Toluwani’s interest at heart, and they are just out for their selfish interests,” Walejana wrote.

He suggested the family think about a private burial ground. He added, “There are lots of private luxury burial grounds, and I suggest the family choose a befitting one, but don’t tie down a man’s investment because he died early. Death is so cruel. May God continue to show all of us mercy.”

But some users questioned the widow's refusal to allow a burial at the singer’s home. On X, Akwaugo, with the handle #TalkswithAkwa, found it hard to understand her stance. She argued that the widow could still enjoy the property and benefits from her husband. “You can live in your husband’s mansion, use his cars, enjoy his properties and benefits from his bank accounts, but you cannot bear to see the grave of the man you shared a life with? Make it make sense!” she wrote.

Akwaugo speculated that the widow might want to sell the house later. She said the grave’s presence could lower its value. Another X user, Mum Zee, using the handle #_DebbieOA, also questioned the widow’s stance. “Hold-on, why exactly will Toluwanisings wife refuse to have him buried in his own compound?

“Does she plan to sell the house?

“There’s nothing complicated and sensitive about burying her husband in his own compound.

“Why is she refusing?

“Now she has opened herself up to scrutiny from his family members,” the user wrote.

In contrast, X user Olori, with the handle #OloriOfOloriss, warned that the family's push for a home burial could create issues for the widow and her kids. The user claimed that relatives who had little contact with the singer might use visits to his grave to come to the widow’s home often. “Anybody with common sense knows that the plan is to have her bury him in her house so that the access they never had to him in his lifetime can be gained through his death,” Olori wrote.

“They will start showing up uninvited under the guise of paying their respects to his grave, when the real intention is to monitor her, leech off her, and make life difficult for her and her children.” Olori added, “The moment she complains or tries to set boundaries, she will be labelled evil, wicked and stingy. The plan is very obvious, and I genuinely hope Toluwanisings’ wife never agrees to it!”

Another X user, Foundational Nupe Lawyer, raised legal and health concerns about burying someone in a residential area. “Legally speaking, it is a crime to bury someone in a residential building or area without the consent of the Governor of the state. All dead bodies are expected to be buried in public or privately approved cemeteries,” the user wrote.

They argued that these rules are meant to protect public health and safety. The user called for the state government to step in. But the legal claims in the post were not verified.

Some users defended the singer’s family. They said wanting a home burial should not be seen as a way to control the property. X user Vampz, with the handle #Hybrid_Ola, wrote, “If Toluwani’s father’s side were wealthy, no one would question their decision. This family has never spoken about property. All they’ve asked for is for Toluwani to be buried in his own house. How is that a problem? A family that is after property would never agree to have him buried on his own property.”

Bayo Bilisi, using the handle #Bayo_Bilisi, also supported the family, saying the widow could stay in the house and raise their kids. “On Toluwanisings issue, the family are not ready to bury him and I say this with my full chest. If the reverse was the case, the lady will be buried in her husband’s compound and everyone will move on,” the user wrote.

The user added, “If she’s not intending to re-marry, she can remain in the house and raise her kids. I have no issues with her re-marrying even after 3 months but you can’t keep that man’s body outside his home.”

Bayo Bilisi dismissed the widow’s worry that living near the grave could be hard. He compared it to other things the singer left behind. “Her excuse of ‘the graveyard will traumatise me’ is also ridiculous, why is the car and other things in the house not reminding you of him?” the user wrote.

He concluded, “When the family is ready, they will get digger and shovel in a good spot to bury their son.”

Meanwhile, Tosin.X, with the handle #Dontee___, framed the disagreement as a break from Yoruba burial customs. “The Yoruba culture is getting eroded. The term ‘Oku ofo’ is used to describe unfortunate and untimely death like that of Toluwanisings. In an ideal Yoruba setting the guy should have been buried immediately or the day after but what do we have? Families granting interviews. I’m pissed!” the user wrote.

These reactions come after reports of a rift among the singer’s relatives 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. The disagreement also highlights other family issues following the singer’s death. His grandmother, Sabitiyu Olayemi, claimed he neglected her for years. A man who said he was his uncle, Lawal Ademola, called for an unbiased investigation into the circumstances of the death.