After a months-long journey with a swollen leg, Bunmi Akinnaanu, the Nigerian gospel luminary, passed away on January 12, 2026.
The singer who taught countless souls to weather the storm has now found her eternal calm.
Her death marks the end of a life dedicated to ministry, marked by resilience and a voice that became a soundtrack of faith for millions.
For years, Bunmi was a revered figure in Nigeria’s gospel music scene, admired for her deeply spiritual songs, powerful vocal delivery, and commitment to Christian ministry.
Her live performances were known for being profoundly moving and unforgettable.
Dating back to the early 2000s, her music resonated with worshippers, particularly within Yoruba-speaking Christian communities.
FROM BANKING TO GOSPEL MUSIC
Full name Oluwabunmi Alaba Akinnaanu, the singer was from Ondo state but was born and raised in Lagos. She attended primary and secondary school in Lagos before obtaining an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) from Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH).
Shortly after her OND, she began working at EcoBank, where she remained for ten years.
In a 2020 interview, she revealed that while still at the bank, she gained direct entry admission to Lagos State University (LASU), where she studied Industrial Relations and Personnel Management.
Bunmi disclosed that during her time as a banker, colleagues often told her that banking was not her true “calling” because she was always singing at work.
She agreed, believing there was “something greater” within her.
She also stated that immediately after completing her bachelor’s degree, she left banking to pursue gospel ministry full-time.
“I just discovered that when I was still at the bank, I would be at my desk and start singing.
People would tell me that banking was not my calling. I myself knew that it was not my calling because I had something in me. While still at the bank, I processed my admission into the university.
When I was done, I left the bank and decided to go into ministry fully,” she said.
‘OMIJE OJUMI’ AND BUNMI’S LEGACY
Akinnaanu, who began singing at the age of 10, rose through the ranks as a choir member at the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Mushin, Lagos.
The singer’s journey to stardom was paved with remarkable humility.
In a viral video from 2025, Bunmi opened up about her difficult beginnings.
Her story was so moving that she hesitated to give interviews, as recounting it would reduce everyone present — including her — to tears.
She narrated a childhood of such poverty that she attended Sunday services in worn-out clothes and bathroom slippers.
The gospel singer also revealed that during the recording of ‘Ibere Nla’, a song she performed at ECWA, everything she wore was borrowed.
“My story is very touching, and that is why I hardly accept interviews. It usually gets to a point during those interviews where I, the interviewer, the cameraman, and those present would burst into tears.
I would explain how I used to wear rags and bathroom slippers to every Sunday service,” she said.
“I do not usually say this, but the cloth I wore in the video of ‘Ibere Nla’ was borrowed. If you look closely at the video, you will notice that someone else also wore it among the dancers.
Even the earrings that I wore—the owner was dancing behind me. Immediately, one fell, she signalled me to pick it up so it wouldn’t get lost.”
In 2025, she battled a severe leg-related illness that led to persistent bleeding and limited mobility
Bunmi rose to fame after releasing ‘Omije Ojumi’, her debut album, in 2004.
In the same interview, she said the song became so closely associated with her that many people no longer referred to her by her given name, instead calling her Omije Ojumi — meaning tears in my eyes.
“‘Omije Ojumi’ is a song I sang in church. There is no way I can hide my story from everyone; people already know it.
So I thought that when people hear ‘Omije Ojumi’, they would know my story, how I started, and we thank God for it. So the name is one that I took from the song that God used me to sing in my church,” she said.
“I discovered that when the song came out, people did not even want to know my real name.
Whenever I got to any place, even if they said Bunmi Akinnaanu, they would say no and refer to me as ‘Omije Ojumi’.
I thought, since that is what people like, let us use it. That is how I came by the name.”
Following the success of ‘Omije Ojumi’, Akinnaanu released several other gospel projects, including ‘O Ti Sure’, ‘Dabira’, ‘Alatileyinmi’, ‘Ma Sunkun Mo’, ‘Tujuka’, ‘Testimony’, and ‘Oti Mure Wa’.
In 2017, she was honoured by Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, for her album titled ‘Testimony’.
#The Cable
