For 15 years, Nigerian investigative journalist Kolawole Olawuyi used his television programme, Nkan Nbe, to investigate stories surrounding alleged ritual practices, occultism, and mysterious occurrences. This work earned him a reputation that made him a subject of public fascination, even after his death on March 3, 2007. His programme was a significant part of his career, shaping public perceptions of him.
Olawuyi's investigations often sparked rumours about his death. One rumour alleged that the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, TB Joshua, was connected to his death following investigations Olawuyi conducted on the church in 1996. Other speculations linked his death to an investigation into a supposedly haunted village in the Benin Republic.
According to an article by Seyi Lasisi, published by The Republic on November 1, 2026, Olawuyi had travelled to the village and discovered that what was presented as a ghost town was allegedly a front for an organised occult group. The group used staged supernatural occurrences to frighten residents and keep outsiders away.
Olawuyi's widow, Abimbola Olawuyi, repeatedly dismissed the speculations before her death in 2026. Another rumour claimed he fell ill after hiring workers to cut down an ancient tree in his compound, despite warnings from previous occupants about its spiritual significance. There were also claims that he belonged to an occult group, with some rumours focusing on the condition of his body after death.
Olawuyi's television investigations, which involved visiting shrines, interviewing people who claimed to have experienced supernatural encounters, and examining mysterious stories across southwestern Nigeria, contributed to his larger-than-life public image. His distinctive elderly-man costume and presentation style further shaped how audiences perceived him.
According to Lasisi, the public's continued difficulty accepting the reported circumstances of his death reflects how deeply the programme influenced viewers' understanding of the journalist. The writer argued that the scepticism Olawuyi encouraged through his investigations might be the programme's most enduring legacy.
Olawuyi began his media career as a radio broadcaster with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria in Ibadan. From the 1980s until 1992, he was a regular voice on Radio Nigeria 1, where he co-hosted the Thursday morning programme Káàárọ̀, o ò Jíire? alongside the late Ashamu Akinrinde and Babatunde Olaniyi.
Key points
- Kolawole Olawuyi's programme Nkan Nbe significantly shaped his public image and legacy as an investigative journalist.
- Olawuyi's investigations into alleged ritual practices and occultism sparked rumours about his death.
- The scepticism Olawuyi encouraged through his investigations remains a lasting impact of his programme.
