An old interview featuring late Nigerian gospel singer Toluwanisings with Actress Abiola Adebayo has resurfaced online, offering a deeper look into his life, his journey from Islam to Christianity, his early days in Fuji music, and the challenges he faced before becoming widely recognised in the gospel music industry.
In the interview with Nigerian actress Biola Adebayo on her Talk To B programme, the singer, whose real name was Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji, opened up about his religious background and the remarkable journey that eventually led him into gospel music. His account has attracted renewed attention following news of his death on October 14, 2026.
Speaking about his early life, Toluwanisings revealed that he was born and raised in a Muslim family before eventually giving his life to Jesus Christ. He disclosed that his Muslim name was Sodiq, explaining that his journey into music began long before he became known as a gospel singer.
According to him, Fuji music was his starting point in the music industry. Before becoming a gospel minister, he had explored a different musical path, performing a genre deeply rooted in Yoruba culture. His story therefore reflects a significant change in both his religious journey and musical direction.
Looking back on his decision to embrace Christianity, Toluwanisings described giving his life to Christ as the best decision he had ever made. He explained that his faith became central to his life and musical expression, with God serving as the source of his inspiration.
For him, music was never simply about becoming popular or attracting attention. Rather, he believed that the most important thing was the message conveyed through a song and the impact it had on the lives of those who listened to it. He maintained that when people hear his music and receive blessings through its message, the purpose of the ministry is being fulfilled.
The late singer also spoke about the important role his wife played throughout his journey. Although they had been married for about three years at the time of the interview, he revealed that their relationship stretched back nearly two decades.
He described his wife as his backbone and a major source of encouragement, particularly during difficult moments in his music career. According to him, she consistently supported his calling and covered him and his work in prayer.
He recounted how she sometimes woke up in the middle of the night to pray for him, laying her hands on him and committing his life, career and musical assignments into God’s hands. Her support, he explained, went beyond ordinary encouragement, as she remained deeply involved in the spiritual side of his journey.
Despite spending more than twelve years pursuing music, Toluwanisings admitted that achieving a breakthrough did not happen as quickly as he might have hoped. His journey involved years of work, patience and faith before the recognition he desired began to come.
He recalled a particularly painful experience from the period when he wanted to record an album. Hoping to receive assistance, he approached someone he believed could help him make progress. However, instead of receiving the support he expected, he was met with a dismissive response that appeared to question his place in the music industry because of his Fuji music background.
The experience was a reminder of the obstacles he encountered while trying to establish himself. Nevertheless, he continued pursuing his musical ambitions rather than allowing the disappointment to end his journey.
According to his account, the breakthrough eventually came when God connected him with people who helped his music reach a wider audience. He mentioned gospel singer Moses Bliss as one of the people who came into his life at a crucial point in his career.
The singer also spoke about the volume of music he had written over the years, revealing that he had approximately 150 compositions that he had yet to record or release. The revelation offered a glimpse into his creativity and the amount of material he had accumulated while developing his musical ministry.
Beyond his music and faith, Toluwanisings also reflected on his educational background. He disclosed that he studied Estate Management and Valuation and completed his studies with an Upper Credit grade. Despite earning the qualification, he explained that his career eventually took a different direction, with music becoming the path he pursued instead.
Speaking about the different pace at which people’s lives unfold, he drew on a Yoruba proverb to explain that everyone has a unique story and that success does not come at the same time for everybody. His own journey, he suggested, was one that required patience before the results became visible.
One of the most interesting parts of his story concerned the song that helped introduce his music to a much wider audience. According to the singer, the viral moment began with a simple idea: he wanted to record a short musical snippet that people could easily relate to and share.
That idea led to the refrain, “Olúwa lórí ilẹ̀ ayé,” a Yoruba expression conveying the message that the Lord reigns over the earth and that the world belongs to Him.
Rather than beginning with a major promotional campaign, he uploaded the snippet to his WhatsApp status. The response surprised him, as people began asking him to send them the song. Listeners shared it with others, and the song continued spreading through WhatsApp as people used their own internet data to forward it.
What began as a short recording intended for social media gradually reached a much larger audience. The experience demonstrated how a simple musical idea, when it resonates with listeners, can travel far beyond the original platform on which it was shared.
Toluwanisings further recalled recording a follow-up song within approximately four days. During the interview, he sang part of the refrain, which included the words “Ẹ̀mí Mímọ́ ẹ ṣe o.” He also described how Nollywood Actress Funke Akindele who he referred to as “Auntie Funke” shared the content, helping it reach even more people.
For the singer, these moments were evidence of how his music spread through ordinary people sharing it with others, rather than through a conventional publicity strategy alone.
His story also attracted attention because of the combination of experiences that shaped his career: growing up in a Muslim family, beginning his musical journey in Fuji, embracing Christianity, facing rejection, and eventually finding an audience through gospel music and social media.
Toluwanisings became known among gospel music lovers for his Yoruba-inspired praise songs and energetic approach to worship. His musical journey illustrated how his faith and cultural background came together to shape the sound and message he shared with listeners.
The resurfaced interview has provided fans with an opportunity to hear more of his own account of that journey, including the personal sacrifices, relationships and experiences that influenced his life.
As tributes continue following his passing, his testimony about his conversion to Christianity and his determination to pursue music remains a significant part of the story he left behind.
Beyond the songs that gained attention online, Toluwanisings’ account offers a portrait of an artist who spent years developing his craft, leaned on the support of his wife, and continued pursuing his calling despite setbacks. His life and career have now become a subject of renewed reflection among those who followed his music and ministry.
