Nigerian folk musician Beautiful Nubia, born Segun Akinlolu, has accused gospel artistes Yinka Ayefele and BBO of infringing on the copyright of his song Seven Lifes.
In a post shared Thursday on X, the singer alleged that Ayefele’s 2012 track My Faith in God (Igbagbo Ireti) and BBO’s 2026 release Amin borrowed their core melodies from his original composition.
He questioned the commitment of Nigerian musicians — particularly gospel artistes — to respecting intellectual property rights.
“There was Yinka Ayefele with ‘My Faith in God (Igbagbo Ireti)’ in 2012 and now someone called BBO with ‘Amin’ this year. Both stole their melodies from our original song ‘Seven Lifes’,” he wrote.
“When will Nigerians (especially the so-called gospel musicians) learn to respect copyright?”
As of the time of reporting, neither Ayefele nor BBO had publicly responded to the allegation.
The dispute adds to ongoing conversations around copyright and ownership within Nigeria’s music industry. In 2024, gospel star Sinach faced a lawsuit from producer Michael Oluwole, who claimed co-authorship of her global hit Way Maker. She denied the claim, maintaining she was the sole writer and noting the song’s international success prior to the producer’s involvement.
Industry observers say such disputes highlight the growing need for clearer documentation, licensing practices and copyright enforcement within the Nigerian music space.
