Gospel musician Florence drops Obinim surname for Queen Florence the Lioness

Pinned summary · as of 15:53

Ghanaian gospel musician Florence Obinim has replaced her stage name with Queen Florence the Lioness and says the Obinim surname will no longer be part of her public identity. The change follows the end of her marriage to Bishop Daniel Obinim, who set up the International God's Way Church and had said openly that she should stop using his family name.

What we know

• Florence, a Ghanaian gospel musician, has dropped the Obinim surname and now goes by the stage name Queen Florence the Lioness.
• The new name comes after her marriage to Bishop Daniel Obinim, who set up the International God's Way Church, broke down.
• Bishop Obinim had called on Florence to stop using his surname following their separation, according to The Press Radio and ZionFelix.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  ZionFelix reported that the marriage lasted more than two decades and that traditional rites to dissolve it were reportedly carried out, among them the return of the "Tiri Nsa". No other report has confirmed either point.
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  ZionFelix said that in an online video posted by Tina News, Florence confirmed the name and said it is for her music career. This has not been reported elsewhere.
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  The Press Radio reported that Florence has also launched Lioness Ministries under her new identity, covering her ministry work; ZionFelix did not mention it.
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  According to ZionFelix, Bishop Obinim said he had accepted the drink that signals the end of a marriage and therefore the name should go. It also reported that he said she had put him to shame and that she should stay away from his burial rites as his widow, and that an audio recording of him discussing the matter surfaced online earlier in September. None of this has been confirmed by other reports, and Florence's response to these remarks is not reported.
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  The Press Radio noted that the separation has produced claims and counterclaims, and that not every allegation made during the dispute has been independently verified.

Why it matters for Ghana

For fans of Florence's music and for members of the International God's Way Church, the change marks a public break between her career identity and the bishop's family name. The Press Radio said the separation has drawn wide comment online and in Ghanaian news coverage. Readers should treat many of the claims made in the dispute with caution, since not all have been verified.