Lasun Alagbe
With the death of veteran gospel musician, Nigeria — and Yorubaland in particular — has lost not less than six missionary artistes between January and March 2026.
While Soetan passed away at a relatively old age of 73, others died far younger.
They were Bunmi Akinnanu, Taiwo Adegbodu, Matthew Ogundele, Itunu Ogundele, Joseph Sanya and Matthew Awosanya.
Akinnaanu, known for her song “Omije Ojumi,” died on January 12, 2026, at a hospital in Lagos.
She was 46.
Born Bunmi Akinnaanu Adeoye, she started singing at age 10 in a Christian home. She studied Industrial Relations and Personnel Management at Lagos State University.
She left a banking job to focus on gospel music full-time.
Adegbodu, one half of the renowned Nigerian gospel duo the Adegbodu Twins, on the other hand, died on March 1, 2026, also at age 46.
His twin brother, Kehinde Adegbodu, had confirmed the sudden passing, noting that Taiwo appeared healthy just hours before his death.
In February, the other four artistes were found dead in an Ajah, Lagos studio.
The group had stayed overnight in the HFP Shopping Complex studio to record following a three-day eve.
Meanwhile, the news of Soetan’s passing was confirmed by gospel comedian Woli Agba and musician Peter Olaniyi, who shared their condolences on social media.
Beyond her popular song ‘Darling Jesus’, the late evangelist Toun Soetan was also known for iconic tracks like ‘Ke Pe Jesu’ and ‘Cast Your Burdens’, which remain staples in Christian worship gatherings.
Woli Agba described Toun Soetan as a legendary figure who lived a life glorifying Jesus, saying, “The message remained the same. The lifestyle remained that which glorifies Jesus. Your transition into Glory to meet The Lord Jesus happened today.
Peter Olaniyi also paid tribute, stating, “We just lost another legend this morning, Mummy Toun Soetan. May the Lord be with the family and Daddy Titus Soetan.”
Tributes have continued to pour in from gospel artistes and fans, who remember Toun Soetan as an inspiration and mentor in the music ministry.
