Gospel singer Lanre Alewilese has addressed the controversy over the sponsorship of the UK tuition of Shadrach Taiwo, cousin of the late singer Toluwanisings.
The controversy stemmed from an audio recording shared by an
Instagram user named Yinka TNT in which Toluwanisings was purportedly heard
lamenting the financial strain of funding Shadrach’s education in the UK.
According to the recording, the late singer claimed he had
spent about N12 million and could no longer bear the burden.
Yinka TNT also alleged that Toluwanisings cut ties with his
maternal family over the matter.
On Wednesday, Yinka TNT shared a receipt showing N6 million
sent to Shadrach for school fees just days after the singer’s death.
The revelations sparked backlash against Alewilese, with
critics accusing him of betraying Toluwanisings by aligning with the singer’s
maternal family.
Alewilese responds
In an Instagram video, Alewilese said he was unaware that
Shadrach was not Toluwanisings’ biological sibling until after the singer’s
death.
He explained that Toluwanisings introduced Shadrach to him
as his full sibling and never disclosed otherwise, noting that the young man
served as best man at the singer’s wedding.
Recounting his involvement, Alewilese said Toluwanisings had
approached him for help facilitating Shadrach’s travel to the United States.
Although the US trip did not materialise, he later learnt
that Shadrach had gained admission to the UK and that Toluwanisings had been
paying his tuition year after year.
Alewilese said he was in the UK when Toluwanisings died and
obtained Shadrach’s contact from a member of the singer’s band.
He said he advised Shadrach to remain vigilant, warning him
that he would be expected to step into the shoes of a father figure to the late
singer’s children.
According to Alewilese, Shadrach expressed shock at
Toluwanisings’ death and disclosed that the deceased had promised to pay his
£6,500 school fees three days after their last conversation.
Shadrach also reportedly raised concerns that his visa was
due to expire at the end of October and that the Home Office had been pressing
him to renew it.
Alewilese said he could not bring the matter to
Toluwanisings’ wife at the time, prompting him to set up a group to raise funds
for Shadrach.
He admitted that donors gave with the understanding that
Shadrach was a blood relative of the late singer, and that this was before any
information emerged from Ikirun.
He said he subsequently briefed Toluwanisings’ wife and
tendered an apology to her, noting that she received the explanation without
reproach.
He, however, lamented that critics now accuse him of having
known about the late singer’s frustration with his family without offering him
any help.
“Before Toluwani died, he introduced Shadrach Taiwo to me as
his sibling from the same father and mother. He never told anyone about their
relationship. This was the same boy that played the role of best man at his
wedding,” he said.
“Toluwani later asked me if I knew anyone who could help
process travel for his brother to the United States. The brother also had a
discussion with me. The trip to the US was not successful, but I later
discovered years later that he had secured entry into the UK. I knew Toluwani
paid his school fees every year.
“When Toluwani died, I was in the UK. I got Shadrach’s
number from one of the band members. I told him to be careful and that he would
be the one to stand in as a father to the late singer’s children. Shadrach told
me he was shocked that Toluwani died. He said the late singer told him he was
going to pay his school fees of £6,500 three days after their chat. Shadrach
also said his visa was to expire at the end of October and the Home Office had
been asking him to renew it.
“I could not tell the wife about the situation, so I opened
a group where we started soliciting funds for the brother. People were
rendering support with the mindset that Shadrach was a blood relation of
Toluwani. This was even before any information came from Ikirun.
“I later explained to Toluwani’s wife and apologised to her.
She did not say anything bad at all. Now people are saying that I knew about
how Toluwani was feeling frustrated with his family and I did not help him
out.”
Toluwanisings died on October 14 and was buried on Monday at
his residence in Ibadan.
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