TY BELLO BIOGRAPHY, FAMILY, NET WORTH, & LESSONS FROM HER LIFE
TY BELLO BIOGRAPHY
Toyin Sokefun-Bello who is popularly known by the stage name TY Bello is a Nigerian music minister, songwriter, philanthropist, and photographer. Toyin is a well know multi-talented woman and a paragon to young photographers and music lovers. Her work is recognized locally and internally.
BACKGROUND
Toyin Sokefun-Bello was born on January 14th, 1978 to the family of late Remi Sokefun in Ogun State and the father was a well-known TV producer. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Lagos and she is also a member of the Nigerian photography collective, Depth of field. Toyin was a member of the now-extinct gospel band, KUSH.
MUSIC MINISTRY
She attended Revival World Church and was part of the music team – a childhood church where songs for the next service were being composed of the previous sermon preached. This gave her the opportunity to nurture her writing and singing skills. She was the youngest on the team but was never shy to make contributions.
TY Bello worked with the likes of Lara George, Dayo Torimiro, and Emen Ema during her undergraduate days at the University of Lagos. Her writing and singing skills were distinctive. Toying and the trio of Lara Geroge, Dayo Torimiro, and Emen Ema later formed the now-extinct band, KUSH. “Let’s Live Together” was the single that brought the band to the limelight in the early 2000s. She became a solo singer after the band was dismissed.
She is best known for some of her songs “Greenland”, “Ekundayo”, “Freedom”, and so on. “Greenland”, her first debut solo album which was released in2008 won her two reputable awards. She commented that the song describes her journey in life every day.
She holds a worship series called Spontaneous Worship. It is an extemporaneous and undone worship expression to God. It has featured the likes of Sinach, Wole Oni, Dunsin Oyekan, and many more.
SONGS RELEASED BY TY BELLO
She has many songs and includes some of the following:
- The Future (2011) featuring Tara Fela-Durotoye, Banky W, Sound Sultan, and Chude Jideonwo.
- Yaweh (2013) features Wale Adenuga and two other vocals, Mosa and Nwando Okeke.
- The Morning Songbook (2014) featuring Fela Durotoye and M Sugh.
- Land of Promise (2016).
- Holy Ghost Air (2016) featuring Nathaniel Bassey.
- Bow Down (2017) and was produced by Samjazzy.
- Agape Love (2019) featuring Dunsin Oyekan
- The Spirit of Light (2019) featuring Tope Alabi
- The Spirit of Love (2019) featuring Lanre Olusola
- Love Is A Person (2019) featuring Dunsin Oyekan
PHOTOGRAPHY CAREER
She developed an interest in photography at a time when it wasn’t thought of as a profession and just after her band was dismissed. TY Bello is one of the few that has created and given definition to the photography profession and upcoming photographers should be thankful for this talent in the profession.
TY Bello focuses more on portrait photography even though she still does documentary and conceptual photography. Her fans always find her work amazing.
The photography profession has brought her before three sitting presidents and she was the official photographer for former Nigeria president, Goodluck Jonathan. TY Bello works with Thisday Fashion Magazine.
ACHIEVEMENTS
She recently partnered with Canon for the “live for the story” campaign. It is a campaign for Nigerians to tell their views on what makes Nigeria special.
TY Bello was nominated with 25 others for Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award in 2017.
She received an honour by the non-profit communication for Change Organization in five-part documentary film series titled “RedHot” in 2011.
HUMANITARIAN WORK
Her passion for helping the less privileged, orphans, and children makes her organize an annual photography exhibition to raise funds for orphans throughout the nation. TY Bello is also the director of Link-A-Child, an NGO committed to sharing information on orphanages in Nigeria and looking for assistance for them. She is an advocate for women’s rights and fights against gender-based violence.
One notable discovery by TY Bello happened when she found Olajumoke the bread seller while doing a photo session with the Nigerian-British rapper, Tinnie Temph on the street of Lagos. Olajumoke was selling bread with her tray of bread on her head. TY Bello saw the potential of modeling in her despite her condition, and the rest is history. Olajumoke the bread seller is now a model.
MARITAL AND RELATIONSHIP STATUS
TY Bello got married to Kashetu Bello in 2009 and gave birth to twins – Christian and Christopher on the 10th of October 2014.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
Best New Act of the Year at Nigeria Entertainment Awards 2008
Best Female Video at Sound City Video Awards 2008
Most Creative Personality of the Year at SRAF Awards 2017
NET WORTH
She has been estimated to be worth around $1million – $5million as of this post.
LESSONS FROM HER LIFE
TY Bello has been a definition of greater works than these you will do according to John 14:12. Everything she has been involved in has yielded fruits that abide. She is truly a light that shines brighter.
Whatever our call is, we should know that we are there to make a difference. No one lit a candle and hid it. Shalom!
