Nigerian folk legend Beautiful Nubia has accused gospel stars Yinka Ayefele and rising singer BBO of lifting the melody of his 1997 classic Seven Lifes without permission.
The folk singer, whose real name is Segun Akinlolu, took to X on Thursday to voice his frustration, calling out both artists for using his work without credit.
Beautiful Nubia specifically pointed to Yinka Ayefele’s 2012 track My Faith in God (Igbagbo Ireti) and BBO’s 2026 release Amin, claiming both songs borrowed heavily from the core melody of Seven Lifes.
In his post, he questioned when Nigerian musicians, particularly gospel artistes, would start respecting copyright laws. “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. When will Nigerians (especially the so-called gospel musicians) learn to respect copyright?” he wrote.
Beautiful Nubia’s post has re-ignited conversations surrounding copyright infringement in the music industry. In 2024, gospel singer Sinach was sued by producer Michael Oluwole (Maye), who claimed co-authorship of her international hit Way Maker. Sinach defended herself, insisting she was the sole author of the globally recognised song
