Ayefele Responds to Beautiful Nubia’s Copyright Infringement Claim

Gospel musician Yinka Ayefele has addressed allegations of copyright infringement made by fellow artiste Beautiful Nubia, amid a controversy over the ownership of a song melody.

Ayefele shared his response on Tuesday via his verified Instagram account, questioning the claim and raising concerns about the origin of the disputed composition. In his post, he wrote:

“WHO IS THE COMPOSER OF EBAMI GBONDO YI GBE ..JANGBALAJUGBU …. Who was acknowledged.. INFRINGEMENT AYE..”

This comes shortly after Beautiful Nubia publicly accused Ayefele and another musician, BBO, of copying the melody of his song without proper credit.

On Instagram last Thursday, Beautiful Nubia expressed concern over what he described as a growing pattern of Nigerian gospel musicians using other people’s works without acknowledgment. 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’. When will Nigerians (especially the so-called gospel musicians) learn to respect copyright?”

According to Beautiful Nubia, Ayefele’s 2012 track My Faith in God (Igbagbo Ireti) and BBO’s 2026 single Amin bear similarities to his original composition, Seven Lifes. Known for his conscious lyrics and advocacy for cultural preservation, Beautiful Nubia has long promoted originality and respect for intellectual property in Nigeria’s creative industry.

Yinka Ayefele, meanwhile, remains one of the most influential figures in Yoruba gospel music, with a career spanning decades and numerous inspirational recordings.

Copyright disputes continue to arise in Nigeria’s music scene, especially where melodies, traditional influences, and sampling intersect, often sparking public disagreements among artistes. Legal experts frequently advise musicians to properly document their works and pursue formal channels to resolve intellectual property disputes.