Tope Alabi Archives - Phenomenal

Tope Alabi’s daughter likely to have stopped her dad from attending her wedding – Ronke Oshodi Oke

Phenomenal — Thu, 08 May 2025 18:56:32 +0000

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Phenomenal.

Popular actress, Ronke Oshodi Oke, has given another perspective to the controversial wedding of Ayomikun, daughter of gospel singer Tope Alabi, where the bride’s father was absent.

The scenario had caused a heated debate with some blaming the musician for allegedly sidelining the bride’s father while giving all the floor to the step father, Mr Soji Alabi.

But Oshodi Oke says the decision might not be Alabi’s, saying it might have been Ayomikun’s.

In an interview with ‘Oyinmomo TV, the actress avers: “Don’t let us blame Tope Alabi for not allowing the father of her daughter to be present at her wedding. The girl is 27 years old, maybe she was the one that didn’t want to see her dad. She is an adult. If she really wanted her dad, she would have insisted to her mum.”

Iyabo Ojo refuses to play cards of Tope Alabi, Agatha Amata as she welcomes ex-hubby to Priscilla’s wedding

Phenomenal — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:43:03 +0000

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As if telling the world that different families have their different stories, Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo, has welcomed her ex-husband, Ademidun Ojo, to their daughter Priscilla’s traditional wedding to Tanzanian music star Juma Jux.

This is unlike what recently happened when celebrated gospel singer, Tope Alabi, gave her daughter in marriage and her ex-husband, who is the bride’s father, was absent.

When seasoned TV personality, Agatha, also gave her daughter in marriage last year, her ex-husband and bride’s father, Fred Amada, had also lamented he was sidelined.

Both marriages sparked much controversy.

In Ojo’s case, however, the former couple on April 17 made a heartwarming appearance in matching traditional attire, showcasing their unity and pride in their daughter’s new chapter.

As they danced together, Iyabo and Ademidun radiated joy and harmony, presenting a united front for their daughter.

How I disappointed Tope Alabi during her wedding – Olaiya Igwe

Phenomenal — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:26:34 +0000

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“So, I went to Ibadan in Oyo State to show one of my films, and my car was stolen from me by robbers but it was later recovered the following day after the news has circulated on radio stations and other platforms. When I returned from Ibadan, Tope Alabi came to my house in Abeokuta and said big brother please we want to use your car for our wedding and I said no problem.

Funke Akindele fights back with pun as scammer uses her name for fraud

Phenomenal — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 16:32:05 +0000

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Lasun Alagbe

Star actress, Funke Akindele, is not taking it easy with a scammer using her name to defraud people.

Like some other popular figures, including gospel singer Tope Alabi, had had to do in the past when goons similarly exposited their name, she has raised the alarm so that folks can be aware.

The Jenifa big act is, however, not doing so lightly.

She is deploying pun to battle the guy whom she identifies as Prosper.

She is deploying the weapon of ‘pun’, not ‘porn’, really.

Pun is a figure of speech that involves a play on words.

This is how she so captions the post in which she reports the guy’s antics: “Pls beware!!! This is not from me!! Prosper!!! E no go prosper for you o!!! Ole!!!”

‘Tope Alabi is a special gift to the entertainment industry’

Phenomenal — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:14:54 +0000

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Amid the controversy surrounding her singing of a traditionalists’ song – Aboru – star gospel muiscian, Tope Alabi, has been showered with accolades.

This came from actor Yomi Fabiyi, who defines her as a special gift to the entertainment industry.

In a video on Friday, Fabiyi also argued that Alabi deserved a national honour.

He admired Alabi with a video he shared showcasing her soul-stirring performance, captivating audiences with her powerful voice and impeccable artistry.

Accompanying the video, he said: “A special gift to the entertainment industry as a whole @tope_alabi_ NATIONAL AWARD/HONOUR in sight. You have continually inspired. Your hard work and continued creativity are topnotch.
“The words here are for the marbles. You are valued”, he said.

Fabiyi

Tope Alabi is ignorantly delusional on essence of ‘Aboru aboye’ – Edaoto

Phenomenal — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 22:43:09 +0000

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Elijah Adebero

Afrobeat artiste, Agbeniyi Edaoto, has again tackled popular gospel musician, Tope Alabi, over her claim that ‘aboru aboye’ expression belongs to all Yoruba people and not to traditionalists alone.

Edaoto said on Tuesday that she was ‘ignorantly delusional’ concerning the ownership and essence of the chant.

He noted, “Àbọrú àbọyè is an exclusive of Ifa devotees, Babaláwo, Ifa acolytes and more. It’s beyond just a usage of greetings within the ìṣẹ̀ṣe community and space, it is for these aforementioned group.”

Alabi had run into a controversy when she gleefully turned the parlance into a song at a Christian live show, with some accusing her of flirting with traditionalists while others said she was trespassing.

Other people, however, believe she is only exploring her spiritual, creative and communal heritage or licence.

After a relatively long time, she revisited the matter, saying ‘aboru aboye’ was generally part of Yoruba Language.

In a Facebook post on Tueday, Edaoto, an Ifa devotee who has been vehement in his disagreement with Alabi, wrote:

There are several other forms of greetings exclusive to ìṣẹ̀ṣe community. A Babaláwo will not likely greet another babaláwo ‘àkíìkà’ ordinarily. This is an exclusive for Ẹgbẹ́ propitiation.

What Tọpẹ Alabi did is cultural appropriation and the people backing her are mostly suffering from the same colonial mentality and ignorance she’s equally suffering from.

Alabi

If we need to admit that àbọrú àbọyè are just mere Yorùbá words, it shouldn’t be too hard to shout ‘eríwo yà!’ in the church, since it only means ‘to be silent’ or when the choir are in their procession for their special number, they can simply say ‘éépà mọlẹ̀!’ since it simply means ‘give way’. The people who conduct services in your churches should be referred to as Olúwo. Olúwo simply means the ‘leaders of initiates, believers or converts’.

You can’t be speeding into people’s spaces on and off to take whatever suits your inept narratives in the name of language.

Christianity has no language equivalence in Yorùbá language and culture. It’s also not important, what’s important is that its adherents stay on their lane without infuriating other people of other faiths with the appropriation of their ‘property’.

Calling their gods’ names belonging to Yorùbá òrìṣà is like using Ìjẹ̀sà panegyrics for Ẹ̀gbá.

All Yoruba people are entitled to Aboru boye – Tope Alabi

Phenomenal — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 09:34:46 +0000

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Whoever thinks star gospel artiste, Tope Alabi, is scared by the controversy that engulfed her singing ‘Aboru boye’, which traditionalists claim belong to them, should have a rethink.

She has said that the expression belongs to Yoruba language and people – not to the traditional religion.

She made this known in a video sighted in which she is seen ministering in a church.

She explains, “It was recorded that David made a sacrifice of faithfulness to God. Why was the word sacrifice not written as the same English word in the Yoruba version of the Bible? It is a Yoruba language. There is no special language for traditionalists. We are all speaking the Yoruba language.

“If some people say they want to use the language in their own style, it is not bad. We have also decided to use it in our own style.”

While reiterating that sacrifices were rendered in the bible, she further queried saying, “Was Abraham’s sacrifice accepted or not? Was it not the same with Isaac?”

In establishing her points with specific reference to a bible passage which is Romans 12:1, she said, “Brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. The word ‘acceptable’ is the ‘Aboru’ while ‘living sacrifice’ is Aboye.”

Yemi Sodimu sheds light on Tope Alabi’s ‘Aboru’ controversy

Phenomenal — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:53:44 +0000

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Lasun Alagbe

Seasoned actor, Yemi Sodimu, has reminded critics of star gospel actress, Tope Alabi, that using traditional nuances in songs is not new.

He seems not to see anything grave in her singing ‘aboru aboye’ song in a recent performance.

Many have accused Alabi of delving into the traditional religion setting while others said she did not have regard for the traditionalists.

Tope Alabi

Yet, others said she had not done anything wrong as a creative and Christian.

Aboru aboye is a greeting parlance in Ifa religion.

But on a programme on Yes FM, Ibadan, Sodimu, who is also a veteran broadcaster, recalled some other instances traditional verses have been used especially in celebrating God in the church.

Tope Alabi is neither here nor there – Funmi Aragbaye

Phenomenal — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 18:39:02 +0000

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Acclaimed gospel singer, Tope Alabi, has suffered another heaven criticism – this time, by a fellow popular gospel singer.

This is veteran Funmi Aragbaye, who is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Gospel Musician Association of Nigeria,

Reacting to the controversy surrounding Aragbaye’s singing of ‘aboru aboye’, which some condemn and link to traditional worshipping, Aragnbaye says she is ‘neither here nor there’.

Alabi

‘According to her, Alabi also allegedly overrates herself, adding that she believes she is above everyone and God.

‘The PUNCH’ quotes Aragbaye as saying: ”Tope Alabi believes she is above everyone and God. She is not a member of GOMAN, nor is she a member of any other gospel association. She believes she is too much for it. She doesn’t belong to anyone; she is neither here nor there.

“The current state of the country is why many act the way they do. People take God for granted for being so merciful. Many people today are just worshipping God with their mouths; it doesn’t come from their hearts.

“If you speak with Pastor Bola Are, she will tell you the same thing. Most people preaching do not know what they are preaching about. They emerged from nowhere onto the scene.”

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Tope Alabi: An insightful perspective on Aboru aboye song

Phenomenal — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 20:52:51 +0000

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Phenomenal.

By Gbenga Osinaike

It is interesting how social media erupts at the sight of a gaffe by a known public figure. It is more dramatic when such personality is from the church.

Daggers are drawn from known and unknown quarters that sometimes one begins to wonder if Nigeria is a wholly Christian country.

But we know Nigeria is a multi-religion country. It is just that any matter that concerns the church gets the front burner. It is the market point for bloggers and the media in general.

And this is so because the church is a relevant force. I am yet to see social media go gaga when matters of other faiths are in question.

So, the recent drama that greeted the famed songstress, Evangelist Tope Alabi as a result of a worship chant she deployed during one of her outings is not unexpected. This is not the first time the artist would have to contend with the public.

Ajanaku controversy

A few years ago, when Prophet Elijah Ajanaku died and some cult members showed up to fellowship with his corpse, many people were taken aback.

A lot of people quickly added one plus one and concluded that Tope Alabi might have been inflicted with a strange anointing. They reached that conclusion because the gospel singer had in one of her albums paid tribute to Ajanaku referring to the God or god of Ajanaku; whichever.

The controversy was so much that many had thought Alabi would go down with the demise of the prophet. But she survived it.

She soon bounced back and got the confidence of her fans. Her sin was forgiven. It was thought that she might have been a victim of indiscretion.

But about two years ago, Tope Alabi was again enmeshed in another controversy. This time, many took her to the cleaners for daring to disparage the song, Oniduro Mi (My Guarantor). The criticism was so fierce; that it seemed an end had come for the gospel artist.

Despite the depth of the controversy, she bounced back. A supposed apology did the magic. And then, she rolled back to the limelight again getting stronger by the day. It seemed at the turn of every controversy, her rating rises.

Aboru aboye controversy

But then, the latest controversy seems to go beyond Tope Alabi. Many who listened to the praise session where she deployed the words, aboru aboye, abosise felt she was delving into the occult. During the session she told worshipers to rise beyond just praising God and coming to offer sacrifice but that they should be the sacrifice themselves.

Apparently referring to Romans 12v1 where Paul admonished that we should present ourselves as living sacrifices, she said she was ready to offer herself as the sacrifice. But in the heat of the song, Alabi perhaps was ensconced in a reverie when she uttered the words Aboru Aboye Abosise

Some described this utterance as a demonic code in the Yoruba cosmology. It is a mode of greeting among a particular sect of traditional worshipers.

A netizen wrote, “Why are people defending what they can’t? The greeting is limited to only the idol worshippers, most especially the Ogboni confraternity. Aboru Aboye; then the recipient would answer Aboye Bosise.”

Social media has since been abuzz with many kicking against the use of those words. But some believe it is a lack of understanding of the Yoruba language that has ignited the negative reaction. The controversy however has become deep and disturbing.

Those who are keen on the purity of the church will however realise that the utterance of Tope Alabi is not the real trouble with the church. It goes beyond that utterance. And this is not to praise her for the use of those words. We will come to that later.

Pentecostals are also guilty

Many denominations have long been lost in the sea of syncretism. But many are unaware. Even some Pentecostals who pride themselves on having a whole gospel are latter-day movers of a polluted faith. And this is not to put down the church.

There is a Babalawo dimension to some church gatherings. It starts from the idea of the pastors playing the role of consultants in people’s life. Any time a pastor plays the role of the man to meet for a problem to be solved that pastor stands the risk of being a Babalawo pastor.

This is how it works. A man has a challenge. He goes to meet his pastor to share his burden and ask for prayers to get out of the problem. The pastor recommends he reads a particular Psalm and asks him to pray around 12 midnight every day for seven days.

He also goes gives him a mantle and asks him to place it at the front of his house to ward off evil forces. In some instances, the pastor urges the man to put a money seed down to activate his prayer.

The pastor makes the man realise that without a money offering, God will not be too keen to answer his prayers. He quotes Solomon and how he sacrificed thousands of sheep to God and how that gesture provoked God to answer him.

The occult practice

If you look at all these steps they are not different from what one gets when one consults a herbalist. And many pastors are guilty of this.

In some other instances, the occult practice is a yearly ritual. At a particular time of the year, the congregation is asked to bring items that serve as points of contact. Such items could be water, handkerchief, or oil. They are not one-offs. You have to keep those items and refer to it whenever there is a challenge.

It became so amusing when a particular church leader recommended three handkerchiefs for his congregation. The use of each handkerchief is determined by the severity of the challenge confronting them. And many in the congregation that day did not see anything wrong with this.

What many don’t realise is that as long as the name of Jesus is not at the centre of our faith, the devil cares less. Financial breakthrough is common in places where Babalawo Christianity thrives because the devil is not threatened by material breakthrough. As a matter of fact, he encourages it.

Beyond Babalawo syndrome

Beyond this Babalawo posture, many churches parade traits that are not different from people of the occult. When for instance a church is shrouded in secrecy, there is trouble in that church. It is only in an occult setting that it is taboo for people to have dissenting views.

But then, what about the subtle occult practices we see on a daily basis in our churches? I have had cause to query the idea of pastors asking people to speak to their offering and send the offering on errands. That is pure mammon worship. I am yet to be convinced how that is not a demonic art. Yet, people who do this will be among those raising dust about the aboru aboye cliche.

The trouble is that when many of our revered men of God slip into this occult circle, people hardly want to talk because of fear of touching the anointed of the Lord.

A few years ago, a celebrated church leader asked his congregation to comb their hair backward while praying. That art was criticised and it is still being criticised by those who are discerning. But such criticism usually does not go beyond two or three people in small circles. It does not get the kind of backlash Tope Alabi is getting because of the personality involved.

The truth is that many assemblies have sunk deep into syncretism. But then, people are picking holes in Tope Alabi’s utterance because they have an understanding of her background being linked to Ajanaku and they may well assume that a vestige of Ajanaku is still with her.

If she had limited herself to talking about Aboye or ebo aye, meaning a living sacrifice, perhaps it would not have gotten the traction it is getting.

The real issue

The real issue is the dexterity with which she used the words. This goes beyond the rich Yoruba language. It is a demonstration of the mastery of a refrain that is common with the occult. But then, it may well be those words came out from the innocence of her heart.

The issue however is beyond the register deployed by Tope Alabi. It is about the decadence in the Church and the need for us to go back to the pure gospel where pastors don’t create roadblocks between their congregation and God.

Their duty is to teach their members the word and allow the holy spirit to direct them in their daily lives. Pastors behaving like Babalawos in the lives of believers is one of the monsters that the church has to confront. And then, it will be easy to deal with the other elements of syncretism in the church.

.Osinaike is the publisher of Church Times