Toluwanisings: Is It A Nigerian Fate To Die Young?

I grew up with a notion that no human being would die until they reached their appointed day with God. While I understand the belief, I do not entirely agree with it. There is no doubt that every soul will take its last breath someday. Death is a natural phenomenon and inevitable. But the concept of death as a black figure with horns on its head and red-painted lips, striking humans on the exact day they are destined to die, is, to me, a fictional tale created from human imagination.

Perhaps death is a spirit, and it occurs by happenstance. I have, however, come to the realisation that it rears its ugly head in different ways, including organ failure, illness, accidents, and disasters. This piece is neither a medical nor a spiritual analysis of death. Rather, it seeks to address a misconception and highlight some of the reasons death seems to take Nigerians at their prime.

If someone dies in a fatal road or air crash, for example, it does not necessarily mean they were destined to die that way. They may simply have been unlucky enough to find themselves in such circumstances. That is why prayers for safe journeys should not be taken lightly. If another person dies from heart or kidney failure, it does not automatically mean their fate was written that way. Such deaths may be the result of accumulated habits and other contributing factors. In a nutshell, while we are certain of death, how and when we die should not simply be attributed to a predetermined plan by God or Satan.

What we eat, drink, and do can determine how long we live. Our habits, relationships, locations, ancestral links, and financial circumstances can all contribute to the factors that influence our deaths. That is why life expectancy differs across countries. The difference is not because God loves people in countries with higher life expectancy more than those in countries with lower figures, or because the devil has greater power over the latter. Rather, people in countries with higher life expectancy generally have access to better environments, healthcare, and lifestyles.

Nigeria, despite being a deeply prayerful nation, is among the nations with the lowest life expectancy. According to estimates from the United Nations World Population Prospects, life expectancy at birth in Nigeria is approximately 55 years in 2026. This compares with 86 years in Monaco, 85 years in Japan, 83 years in the United Kingdom, and 79 years in the United States.

You may wonder why Nigeria has such a low life expectancy and why its citizens tend to die relatively young. There is no need to think too hard about it. I have a few reasons to enumerate here, in no particular order.

Insecurity is first on my list. Figures obtained by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) from its Mass Atrocities Tracker indicated that 32,667 people were killed across Nigeria between 2021 and 2026. The victims were killed in incidents involving insurgency, banditry, activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and communal violence. Put into perspective, that amounts to an average of about 15 deaths per day over the period.

These people did not die natural deaths, nor should their deaths simply be dismissed as a matter of fate. They were killed by insane gun-wielding imonsters who are nothing but cannibals in human society. If Nigeria did not have such a serious insecurity problem, some of these victims would still be alive, contributing to society and living their lives peacefully. Unfortunately, the government has not demonstrated sufficient decisiveness in dealing with the demon of insecurity.

Another category of people responsible for untimely deaths among Nigerians comprises the manufacturers, marketers, and enablers of substandard and fake consumable products.

The influx of fake drinks and drugs has recently dominated public discourse. However, not many citizens are aware that these products remain in circulation in markets, at bus stops and car parks, along roadsides, and even in stores. Ordinarily, genuine products can still pose health risks when abused or misused. Now, imagine being consistently exposed to substandard or outright fake products. That is a deadly form of pleasure.

Fake products can be poisonous and, in some cases, more dangerous than people realise. They may not kill their users instantly, but prolonged exposure can damage body organs and weaken the immune system until the body can no longer cope with the harm.

We would have less to worry about if people were not willing to make money at all costs. We would also have less cause for concern if government agencies responsible for ensuring the safety of products consumed by Nigerians were more effective, efficient, and thorough in cracking down on offenders and prosecuting those responsible for such atrocities. So many lives could be saved through strict adherence to, and enforcement of, safety protocols governing the products we consume.

The last issue, which, incidentally, inspired this piece, is the state of healthcare facilities in Nigeria.

Healthcare is an essential part of life. Without access to adequate healthcare, human life is placed in greater danger. The recent tragic death of popular Yoruba gospel singer Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji, better known as Toluwanisings, is evidence that the government is not doing enough in this critical sector.

The young man of God was reportedly rejected by at least by seven different hospitals after he suddenly slumped at home. According to his aide, some hospitals gave excuses, including the unavailability of doctors due to a strike, while others reportedly failed to admit the singer properly because they lacked the necessary facilities.

Hospitals built to save lives were seemingly helpless when called upon to provide one of their most important services: emergency care.

Doctors shutting down operations in such circumstances or otherwise is unjustifiable, untenable, and unacceptable. I know that the political elite have long lost confidence in the country’s healthcare system, which explains why they are often quick to travel abroad for even minor medical emergencies. But ordinary Nigerians deserve better.

Many people die because public hospitals lack available beds. Many others die because of inadequate medical equipment and facilities. A better healthcare system should not be a luxury reserved for the wealthy or political elite. It must be readily available, easily accessible, and financially sustainable for ordinary Nigerians.

To those who had questioned God for not sparing Toluwanisings’ life, my message is that God should not be blamed for an incident that could have been avoided if the system works. To those who believe it was God’s time to take him away, they may find consolation in that belief. However, they must remember that the Nigerian system failed him at a critical moment.

We must stop pretending that all these deaths are simply a matter of fate. If we do, the next victims may be closer than we think. Urgent action is needed to build a better system, one that protects lives rather than allows preventable deaths to occur.

Damilare Adeleye writes from Lagos State.

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