Popular Nigerian gospel singer and minister, Tope Alabi, has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Canada-based pastor Tayo Kumuyi, demanding that he retract allegations linking her to the death of Ibadan-based gospel singer and minister, Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings, or face legal action.
The development has generated significant attention within Nigeria’s gospel music community and on social media, following a series of posts attributed to Kumuyi and the Facebook page known as Pastor Tayo Ministries.
According to reports, Alabi’s solicitors, Oakmount Legal Practitioners, issued a formal cease-and-desist letter dated October 24, 2026. The letter demanded the immediate removal of the publications, a retraction of the allegations and an unreserved public apology.
The legal notice reportedly followed posts published between October 20 and 24 in which Kumuyi allegedly accused Alabi of involvement in murder and ritual killing and linked her to the deaths of Toluwanisings and other gospel ministers.
Alabi’s lawyers strongly rejected the allegations, describing them as false and defamatory. They reportedly challenged Kumuyi to produce evidence supporting the claims, stating that there was no investigation, police finding or court decision establishing any connection between the singer and the death of Toluwanisings.
The lawyers also stated that Alabi had privately and publicly mourned Toluwanisings following his death and maintained that she had no involvement in his death or the death of anyone else.
The controversy comes shortly after the death of Toluwanisings, whose real name was Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji. The gospel minister reportedly died on October 14, 2026, at the age of 41. Alabi was among those who publicly reacted to his death and mourned him.
Alabi’s legal representatives further accused the pastor of exploiting the grief surrounding the gospel singer’s death to make serious allegations against their client. They also rejected any attempt to present the accusations as spiritual revelations, arguing that such a description did not remove the potential legal consequences of publishing allegations of serious criminal conduct.
The lawyers reportedly demanded that Kumuyi delete the disputed publications, refrain from making further allegations or threats, preserve relevant evidence and publish an unconditional retraction and apology on the same Facebook page. They also demanded that the apology remain pinned for 14 consecutive days.
The letter reportedly warned that failure to comply within 24 hours would lead to legal proceedings, including claims for injunctions, damages and costs. The lawyers also indicated that complaints could be made to Meta Platforms and relevant law-enforcement authorities.
As of the time of this report, there had been no publicly reported retraction from Tayo Kumuyi regarding the allegations. The dispute therefore appears to be moving from a social-media controversy toward a potential legal confrontation.
The development has also renewed concerns about the speed with which unverified allegations can spread online, particularly when they involve public figures, religious personalities and the death of a well-known minister.
For now, the allegations against Tope Alabi remain allegations and have not been established as facts by a court. The central issue is whether Kumuyi will comply with the 24-hour demand or whether the matter will proceed to court.
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