Don’t Turn Toluwanisings to Mohbad” — Laolu Gbenjo Warns Against Online Speculation

Laolu Gbenjo has urged Nigerians to stop turning the circumstances surrounding the death of gospel minister Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings, into another social-media controversy.

Gbenjo made the appeal on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, during a Night of Tribute held in honour of Toluwanisings in Ibadan, Oyo State, where colleagues, friends and loved ones gathered to remember the late singer.

Speaking emotionally about the deceased, Gbenjo described Toluwanisings as a good-hearted man who loved God and maintained relationships with people around him.

He then turned his attention to the online discussions surrounding the singer's death.

“Don’t turn Toluwani into Mohbad. That madness on TikTok and Instagram must stop. If you are jobless, go and look for a job.”

Gbenjo also described Toluwanisings as someone who served God wholeheartedly and appealed for what he regarded as unnecessary speculation and manipulation surrounding his death to stop.

Why Mohbad came into the conversation

The reference to Mohbad is significant because the late singer's death in September 2023 generated enormous public attention, online speculation, accusations and demands for investigations into the circumstances surrounding his final days.

Gbenjo appeared to be warning against a similar cycle developing around Toluwanisings — particularly the rapid spread of claims across TikTok, Instagram and other social-media platforms before the relevant facts have been conclusively established.

Toluwanisings died in the early hours of October 14, 2026, after reportedly collapsing at his residence in Ibadan. His family confirmed his death and asked the public to pray for his wife, children and loved ones.

Since then, however, questions have emerged about what happened before his death and disagreements have reportedly developed around his burial arrangements.

According to reports, Toluwanisings' personal assistant alleged that attempts were made to obtain medical attention for the singer at several hospitals after he collapsed.

Those claims have not been independently established. QED also reported that the University College Hospital, Ibadan, said it had no record confirming that Toluwanisings was brought there.

His paternal family has subsequently called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death and has reportedly asked that his burial be delayed until those questions are addressed.

There has also been a reported disagreement between members of his family and his widow over where he should be buried. These competing accounts are part of the developing story and should not be treated as proof of wrongdoing.

Gbenjo's intervention raises a broader question about how Nigerians process the deaths of public figures.

Social media can expose genuine questions that deserve answers. It can also move much faster than evidence.

Once a death becomes a viral story, allegations can quickly be repeated as facts, individual claims can become accepted narratives, and grieving families can find themselves dealing with public judgment while still trying to understand what happened themselves.

That does not mean legitimate questions should be ignored.

It means questions should remain questions until evidence establishes the answers.

If there are credible concerns surrounding Toluwanisings' death, an investigation should determine what happened. Social media commentary cannot substitute for medical records, witness accounts, official findings or other verifiable evidence.

For Gbenjo, the immediate priority is remembering the person rather than allowing controversy to define him.

Toluwanisings was known within the gospel music community for songs including “A Very Big God” and “Onibuore.” He was 41 and is survived by his wife and two children.

His widow also became emotional while speaking at the tribute event, expressing her grief and speaking about the children she shared with the late singer.

Laolu Gbenjo's “Don’t turn Toluwanisings to Mohbad” warning is ultimately a debate about evidence versus internet narrative.

There is nothing wrong with asking difficult questions when someone dies suddenly. But there is a difference between demanding clarity and manufacturing certainty.

Toluwanisings' death proper answers should come from evidence and investigation — not the loudest version of the story circulating online when a grieving family is at the centre of the controversy.