Popular gospel singer, Tope Alabi, has given a Canada-based preacher, Tayo Kumuyi, 24 hours to withdraw and apologise for social media posts accusing her of complicity in the death of gospel singer, Toluwanisings, or face a lawsuit.
Naija News reports that Kumuyi runs the Facebook page Pastor Tayo Ministries, where the allegations were published.
The ultimatum was contained in a cease-and-desist letter dated October 24, 2026, written on Alabi’s behalf by her lawyers, Oakmount Legal Practitioners, and signed by Toluwanimi Okunade.
According to the letter, the cleric, in a series of posts made between October 20 and 24, accused Alabi of murder and ritual killing and linked her to the deaths of Toluwanisings and other gospel ministers.
The singer’s lawyers described the allegations as baseless and among the gravest anyone could level against a minister of the gospel.
“These statements accuse our client of murder and of ritual killing. There is no more serious allegation that can be made against a person, least of all a minister of the gospel. They are false in every particular,” they wrote.
They challenged the cleric to back up his claims, saying no investigation, police report or court ruling supported them.
“You have produced no evidence, because none exists,” the letter stated.
The lawyers stressed that Alabi grieved over Toluwanisings’ death in private and in public and had nothing to do with it.
Oakmount accused the preacher of capitalising on the public mourning that followed the singer’s death to smear their client.
“You have taken the grief of a bereaved family and a nation, and turned it into a weapon against an innocent woman, for reasons best known to you,” the letter read.
The law firm also dismissed the cleric’s claim that his posts were divine revelations.
“Your conduct is not honest comment, and it is not ‘revelation’. It is a deliberate, reckless and malicious publication of falsehood to the world, repeated day after day, with a call to your followers to spread it further,” it said.
The lawyers noted that the posts drew hundreds of reactions and shares, and that comments showed many readers believed the claims.
The letter further drew attention to a post allegedly aimed at Alabi after she issued a public warning against defamation on October 23.
The post, as quoted by the lawyers, read, “Tope Alabi, no letter will save you from my hand. Your only option is leaving your hiding place.”
The solicitors described the message as a threat and evidence that the cleric intended to continue the attacks.
“That is not a response to a legal notice. It is a threat of harm, and an open declaration that you will continue,” they said.
Alabi’s lawyers said the publications amounted to libel, as they accused her of serious crimes that could damage her reputation, career, and ministry.
They maintained that framing the claims as spiritual messages did not exempt the publisher from legal liability, and that his residence in Canada would not shield him, since the posts targeted a Nigerian audience and harmed Alabi’s reputation in Nigeria.
Among other demands, the law firm asked the cleric to delete the posts, stop further publications and threats, and preserve all relevant evidence.
They also demanded an unreserved retraction and apology on the same Facebook page, to be pinned for 14 consecutive days.
The preacher was further asked to provide evidence for any claims he intends to stand by and state whether he had reported them to the police.
“Take notice that this is our client’s final demand,” the letter warned.
The lawyers said failure to comply would result in a lawsuit seeking injunctions, general and exemplary damages and costs, as well as complaints to Meta Platforms and law enforcement agencies.
They noted, however, that the letter was not meant to stop truthful reporting or legitimate commentary.
Toluwanisings, whose real name was Olayemi Bolaji, died on October 14, 2026, aged 41.
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