Former member of the popular Nigerian music group Styl Plus, Tunde Akinsanmi, shared why the group eventually separated in a recent interview on the Afrobeats podcast.
He explained that his marriage created new pressures that affected both him and the group dynamics.
“I got married, and that put a lot of pressure on me,” Tunde said. “I eventually put that much pressure on the boys too, and that’s the reason the group split.” He admitted that the weight of his new responsibilities, including bills and family needs, began to strain the relationships within the group.
Styl Plus, known for hits like “Olufunmi” and “Imagine That,” effectively ceased to function as a cohesive unit in 2012 when Tunde left to pursue a solo career.
His departure marked a major shift for the group, which Tunde addressed openly, saying, “Maybe I’ll take the blame. That was my fault; maybe I shouldn’t have put that much pressure on them. We couldn’t handle it, and then we had disagreements.”
Reflecting on how his divorce gave him more perspective, he said, “Since my divorce, the fog is clearer. It’s easier for me to be at peace with anybody, so all the relationships I had issues with became clearer.”
Tunde also shared how he and the other members, Shifi Emoefe and Zeal Onyecheme, mended their friendship over time. He described a moment backstage at an award show where he felt the impulse to reunite with his former bandmates.
“A lot of people wanted us apart, but the fans stuck with us,” Tunde said gratefully. He revealed that after the award show, he spent hours catching up with Shifi and Zeal. “It was just like old times, and that showed me how much the fans still want us together,” he said.
