The death of 12-year-old Jamaldeen Atanda, son of Nigerian Fuji singer Rasheed Atanda Adekunle aka Shanko Rasheed, has sparked a wave of grief and growing public family controversy.
The singer first shared the heartbreaking news on social media, describing the loss as a pain no parent should ever have to experience. His emotional message quickly drew sympathy from fans, friends and colleagues in the entertainment industry.
But days after the tragedy, the conversation took a dramatic turn. Rasheed’s wife released an emotional account online, accusing the singer of abandoning her and their children during difficult times, including when their late son fell ill. She also made serious claims of physical abuse and neglect within their troubled marriage.
The allegations have since sparked heated debate on social media, with netizens questioning what really happened inside the family. While sympathy continues to pour in over the child’s death, the accusations have also pushed the private struggles of Rasheed’s marriage into the public spotlight.
As the story unfolds, many questions remain, about the circumstances surrounding the boy’s death, the claims made by his mother, and whether the Fuji star will respond to the growing controversy.
The Loss That Sparked Public Attention
The controversy surrounding Shanko Rasheed began with the tragedy of the death of his first son, Jamaldeen Atanda.
The singer announced the heartbreaking news in February 2026 through a post on Instagram, revealing that his 12-year-old child had passed away. In the emotional message, Rasheed described the pain of losing a child as something no parent ever wishes to experience.
Praying for his son’s peaceful rest, the grieving father wrote that he hoped to meet the boy again someday. The post quickly drew sympathy from fans, friends and colleagues across the entertainment industry.
However, the singer did not reveal the exact cause or circumstances surrounding the boy’s death, leaving many questions unanswered.
The loss felt even more painful to many followers because just months earlier, Rasheed had publicly celebrated Jamaldeen’s 12th birthday, describing him as a source of pride and joy in his life.
As condolences poured in online, what began as a moment of public mourning would soon take a dramatic turn, after the boy’s mother began speaking out about what she described as deeper problems within the family.
Wife Speaks Out: Allegations After the Tragedy
Just days after the death of their son, the story took a dramatic turn when Adeyemi Kafayat, the wife of Shanko Rasheed appeared in an emotional video circulating on social media.
In the recording, she publicly accused the singer of abandoning her and their children during one of the most difficult periods of their lives.
According to her account, the problems began months before the boy’s death. She claimed that after suffering an accident in October that left her unable to walk properly, Rasheed allegedly moved out and stopped supporting the family financially.
With three children to care for and limited mobility, she said she struggled to survive by selling small items and relying on help from friends and neighbours.
The grieving mother also alleged that their late son, Jamaldeen, had been deeply affected by the family’s financial struggles. She said the boy became withdrawn at school and began losing weight as the pressure at home increased.
When he later fell ill, she claimed she had to seek financial help from others to cover hospital bills because the singer allegedly refused to assist.
Beyond the issue of financial support, she made even more serious claims about the state of their marriage. In the video, she accused the Fuji star of physical abuse during their relationship and alleged that he sometimes mistreated both her and the child.
Abuse Allegations and the Breakdown of a Marriage
In a revealing interview with Nollywood actress Biola Bayo on the Talk To B show, Kafayat Adeyemi, the wife of Fuji singer Shanko Rasheed, shared painful details about what she described as years of violence, hardship and emotional distress within their marriage.
In a video released on March 10, 2026, she spoke tearfully about the events, surrounding the death of their son, Jamal. Adeyemi claimed the situation at the hospital turned chaotic after the boy died.
According to her account, Rasheed allegedly accused her of being responsible for the child’s death and began chasing her around the hospital in anger. She said people at the hospital had to intervene and that a doctor eventually hid her to protect her from the confrontation. In her words:
“When my son died, I called him. I didn’t even know my son had died. He came and started chasing me around, claiming that I was responsible for his death. People stood up for me, and the doctor hid me somewhere. I couldn’t have killed my son.”
Adeyemi also alleged that the problems in their relationship dated back several years. She claimed the singer regularly assaulted her and sometimes beat their children, including their late son. According to her, the environment at home had long been tense and unstable, with repeated conflicts between the couple.
In the interview, she further recounted a particularly painful moment from the past, saying she once lost a pregnancy due to stress and violence during the relationship. Adeyemi said she had remained in the marriage despite warnings from people around her, explaining that she had loved Rasheed even when he had little financial stability. She shared:
“He was the one who deflowered me. A baby died inside me because of the stress and violence I went through during pregnancy. One day, he beat Jamal, and it was too much. I regret marrying Rasheed. I loved him despite being poor at the time, and I was warned not to marry him but I never listened.”
She also described the severe financial struggles the family allegedly faced. At one point, she claimed they were forced to sleep inside a church after Rasheed failed to renew their rent. According to her, their son Jamal’s health deteriorated during this period of hardship. When the boy later fell seriously ill, she alleged that Rasheed refused to come to the hospital immediately, telling her he needed to repair his car first. She shared:
“He said he couldn’t come because he needed to fix his car. That I should help him raise one hundred and sixty thousand.
I did all I could, but the boy still died at the hospital.”
The grieving mother further claimed that after the child’s death, Rasheed took custody of their remaining children and she had not seen them for several days. She expressed fears about their welfare, alleging that the singer did not have a stable home and sometimes smoked around the children. She said:
“He took my remaining two kids away. Someone who knows nothing about raising children. He would smoke even in the presence of his children. I would be the one to take my kids off his premises. He beats all my children, including the little one.
He is homeless, and he sleeps anywhere. I have not seen my children in eight days. I don’t know where he has taken them to, including my two-year-old child.”
Following the interview, Biola Bayo appealed to Nigerians to help Kafayat Adeyemi financially.
As the accusations spread across social media, netizens began waiting to hear from Shanko Rasheed himself.
But as the controversy intensified, the singer had not issued a detailed public response addressing the claims made by his wife.
Unanswered Questions After the Tragedy
As the controversy continues to unfold, many questions remain unanswered about the events that led to the public breakdown of the family of Shanko Rasheed.
While the death of their son brought an outpouring of sympathy, the accusations that followed have shifted public attention to the couple’s troubled relationship.
With serious claims of abandonment and abuse now circulating online, netizens are waiting to see whether Rasheed will eventually respond in detail to the allegations.
