The father of late gospel singer Toluwanisings has told reporters that his son was 34 years old at the time of his death, not the 44 years some online posts have claimed. In an interview given this week, he also described a clash with the singer’s wife over where the body should be laid to rest. The grieving parent said he learned of the tragedy while attending a ceremony on Wednesday, and a distress call sent him rushing home. He recalled seeing his son’s pictures spread across social media with “RIP” captions shortly after the call. The father’s statements have sparked renewed interest in the singer’s life, his conversion to Christianity, and the family’s burial disagreement.
Born in 1992 as Sodiq, the artist later embraced Christianity and adopted the stage name Toluwanisings, a name that became familiar on gospel stages across the country. He lost his mother six months after his birth, a fact the father said shaped much of his early life. “My son is 34 years, not 44. People are just making different assumptions. I, the father, know when I gave birth to him,” he asserted, emphasizing his certainty about the singer’s age. The father’s clarification comes after several social‑media users circulated a false birth year that would have made the singer 44 at his passing. By correcting the record, he hopes to preserve his son’s true legacy and prevent misinformation from clouding public memory.
The tragedy unfolded while the father was attending a ceremony, according to his account. He received a phone call that urged him to return home immediately, a moment he described as “heartbreaking.” Within minutes, images of his son appeared online, accompanied by condolence messages that added to his anguish. The father said the rapid spread of the pictures intensified his grief, as he struggled to process the loss while the internet amplified the news. He noted that the flood of online commentary also included the inaccurate age claim, prompting him to speak out.
A disagreement over burial arrangements quickly emerged between the father and the singer’s wife. The widow suggested interring the body in a cemetery or a church, a conventional option that aligns with many Christian funeral customs. The father, however, proposed burying his son inside their family home, a practice sometimes observed in certain Nigerian traditions. He explained that the wife refused, saying she could not live in a house where her husband would be buried. “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 added, indicating his willingness to move the body to their ancestral village.
The proposed village burial would place the singer beside his mother, who died shortly after his birth and has been buried there for decades. The father’s suggestion reflects a cultural norm in many parts of Nigeria where family members are laid to rest together in a communal plot, reinforcing familial bonds even after death. He argued that this option would honor both his son and his late wife, preserving a sense of continuity. Yet, the wife’s objection show the emotional difficulty of sharing a home with a loved one’s remains, a sentiment echoed by many bereaved families.
Observers note that the clash highlights broader tensions between modern funeral practices and traditional customs in Nigeria’s diverse society. While urban families often opt for churchyards or municipal cemeteries, rural communities may still favor home or village burials. The father’s insistence on a home burial or, failing that, a village plot, illustrates how personal grief can intersect with cultural expectations. Legal guidelines in the country require proper permits for burials, and disputes like this sometimes involve local authorities to ensure compliance with health regulations. No official statement from the police or local council has been released at this stage.
The father’s interview, posted on a popular video platform, has attracted considerable attention, with viewers sharing the clip and commenting on both the age clarification and the burial debate. He has not indicated whether any formal steps have been taken to resolve the disagreement, nor has the singer’s wife spoken publicly since the exchange. As the family navigates the mourning process, the next move will likely involve discussions with religious leaders and possibly local officials to reach a mutually acceptable solution. The outcome will determine where the late Toluwanisings will finally rest, and may set a precedent for similar family disputes in the future.
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