Nigerian gospel singer Busola Oke has opened up about her ongoing financial struggles, revealing that she is considering quitting the music industry due to mounting pressure. The singer recently broke down in tears during a live TikTok session, sharing her frustrations over the difficulty of earning a sustainable income from gospel music. She emphasized that talent alone does not guarantee financial stability.

In an interview with Biola Bayo, Busola explained that her emotional breakdown was fueled by loneliness, depression, frustration, and hunger. She noted that she rarely asks for help because she prefers to keep her struggles private, fearing ridicule from others.

“Right now, I have no car, and I owe a lot of people. The last time I had a car was in 2020. I need to pay my debts. I struggle to pay for the hotel I stay at, which costs N55,000 a day. I need shelter and a car, even if it is just a jalopy. The money I am supposed to use for food, I use it to take Uber around,” she said.

Busola also reflected on her past, revealing that in 2023 she had confronted her former colleague Gbenga Adewusi over being denied earnings after rejecting his sexual advances. She stated that she was financially strained by the label and forced to sell her assets because she refused to participate in the exploitation of women.

Responding to her allegations, Gbenga claimed that he helped build her career without engaging in a romantic relationship with her. He stated that she left his label a decade ago, had worked with other marketers since then, and that her own choices contributed to her current difficulties.

Busola Oke began her professional music career over two decades ago and released her first albums before gaining mainstream recognition. Her breakthrough came in 2004 with the hit song Eleyele, which later became her stage name and established her as a leading figure in Yoruba-language gospel and inspirational music. The song made her a household name across South-west Nigeria, where indigenous gospel music enjoys strong cultural patronage through churches and faith-based events.

Over the years, she has blended gospel themes with indigenous rhythms and contemporary sounds, creating a distinctive style of “inspirational” music that combines worship, moral instruction, and social commentary. Her discography spans more than twenty years, including albums such as Eleyele (2004), Oburo (Sweetheart, 2014), and Igba Ope (Bowl of Praise, 2023), as well as numerous singles and collaborative projects like Temilonse and Divine Praise.