Popular Nigeria’s Live-Band Performer Is Dead

One of Nigeria’s finest live performers, Akinloye Tofowomo, popularly known as Akiin Shuga is dead.

He died on Wednesday, October 30, 2025, in New Brunswick, Canada. He was 50.

His family, in a statement, described him as a “revered music icon, Grandmaster, and custodian of rhythm, culture, and the spirit of performance.”

The statement reads: “It is with profound solemnity and total submission to the will of God that the family of Akinloye Tofowomo (Akiin Shuga) — revered music icon, Grandmaster, and Managing Director of Shuga Limb Foundation and Shuga Entertainment, Nigeria’s most prestigious live band — announces his passing in New Brunswick, Canada.

Akinloye Tofowomo was more than a musician; he was a custodian of rhythm, culture, and the spirit of performance.

Across more than three decades of excellence — on stage and in mentorship — he redefined what it meant to lead a band with grace, mastery, and purpose. To countless admirers at home and abroad, he was both an inspiration and an institution: a true king in his art.

As the family comes to terms with this immeasurable loss, they humbly request privacy and quiet reflection at this deeply difficult time.

They wish for the space to find closure and to honour his life in the intimacy of loved ones and cherished memories.

Further details, including dates and arrangements for memorial observances, will be communicated in due course.

The family extends heartfelt appreciation to all who have reached out with prayers, tributes, and kind words.

Akinloye Tofowomo’s legacy — through the Shuga Band and Shuga Entertainment — will continue to live on.
He is survived by his loving wife, children, siblings, and mother.

May his noble soul find eternal rest.“

Born Akinloye Tofowomo in Lagos, the late musician started his career in the early 1990s. Despite battling the physical challenges of living with poliomyelitis, he rose to become one of Nigeria’s most respected entertainers.

He founded Shuga Band in 1998, a group that quickly grew into an entertainment powerhouse, performing for presidents, governors, and dignitaries across Nigeria and beyond. His ability to blend genres — from juju to pop, highlife to soul — made him a bridge between generations of music lovers.

Beyond the stage, Akin Shuga was deeply committed to philanthropy.

Through his Shuga Limb Foundation, he championed disability inclusion and empowerment, using his story to inspire others to rise above physical limitations.

In 2019, he released a hit single, I Can Walk, a deeply personal anthem of hope and strength that became a rallying cry for persons with disabilities across Nigeria.

Tributes have begun pouring in from colleagues, fans, and industry stakeholders, who describe him as “a man of melody and courage.”

One of his close associates described him as “a bandleader with a heart bigger than his music — always giving, always smiling.”

Akin Shuga is survived by his wife, children, siblings, and mother. The family noted that details of funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.

For many, his passing marks the end of an era — but his rhythm, optimism, and advocacy will continue to echo through every performance his band delivers and every life he touched.