Nigerian folk singer Segun Akinlolu, popularly known as Beautiful Nubia, has accused gospel artistes Yinka Ayefele and BBO of infringing on the copyright of his song ‘Seven Lifes’.
In a post shared on Thursday on X, the singer alleged that Ayefele’s 2012 track My Faith in God (Igbagbo Ireti) and BBO’s 2026 song Amin borrowed their core melodies from his original work.
He questioned when Nigerian musicians, particularly gospel artistes, would begin to respect copyright laws.
He wrote, “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”.
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“When will Nigerians (especially the so-called gospel musicians) learn to respect copyright?”
Neither Ayefele nor BBO had publicly responded to the allegation as of the time of reporting.
The accusation adds to a growing list of intellectual-property disputes within Nigeria’s gospel music space. 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 that the song had achieved international success before the producer’s involvement.
Industry observers say copyright disputes have become increasingly common as digital distribution expands access to music and exposes similarities in composition and arrangement. They note that questions of melody ownership often require expert musical analysis and, in some cases, judicial interpretation.
Legal practitioners familiar with entertainment law state that copyright infringement claims typically depend on proving substantial similarity between works and establishing access to the original composition. They add that such matters are often resolved either through out-of-court settlements or formal litigation.
As of the time of filing this report, it remains unclear whether Beautiful Nubia intends to pursue legal action or seek redress through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Punch
