On September 14, 2023, Nigerian artist Mohbad passed away, and the cause of his death is still unclear.
Following his death, there have been rumors and speculation that he was murdered, with fingers pointing at his former record label and its CEO, Nairamarley, and a street thug named Sammylarry, who has gone into hiding. Nairamarley has received death threats from music lovers and fans of the deceased singer/rapper.
Naira Marley, who was Mohbad’s former label boss, has called for a thorough investigation into his death and mourned his late signee. There is a viral TikTok video claiming that Naira Marley’s house was burned down following Mohbad’s death, but it is unclear whether this is true. Since Mohbad’s passing, many artists and celebrities have paid tribute to him.
Hundreds of MohBad’s followers in Nigeria’s Ibadan and Asaba have marched to the streets to demand justice after the Afrobeats musician passed away last week.
This week, several cities in southern Nigeria have seen similar protests and an outpouring of grief.
Ilerioluwa Aloba, the singer’s real name, passed away at a Lagos hospital at the age of 27. His death’s precise circumstances are not known to the public.
A comprehensive investigation has been promised by the governor of Lagos State.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu tweeted on Tuesday that he had asked the nation’s secret police to assist with the investigation into what had happened to MohBad, requesting anyone with information to come forward – but encouraging his admirers to avoid making divisive remarks.
The singer’s remains will be excavated for an autopsy, and a special investigative team has been formed.
Since the musician’s passing on Tuesday, September 12, the hashtag #justiceformohbad has become popular on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Some tributes have stated the artist had been bullied within the music industry while under the influence of strong emotions.
His previous employer, Naira Marley, with whom he had a falling out after leaving the Nigerian musician’s company, Marlian Records, last year, has come under special fire.
MohBad’s death has to be thoroughly investigated, and Naira Marley has vowed to help “uncover any foul play or injustice.”
The singer, who went by the name “Imole” (the Yoruba word for light), was married and had a son who was five months old.
He started to gain notoriety in 2019 as a result of his approachable, occasionally obscene, streetwise songs. He was best known for his popular tracks KPK (Ko Por Ke) and Ponmo, which featured performers Lil Kesh and Naira Marley, and fans adored his unusual baritone voice.
When Marlian Records’ reputation for recruiting rebellious nonconformists was upheld when his Lagos home was searched by anti-drug enforcement officers in February 2022, he had been with the label for nearly two years.
He and several musicians were discovered in possession of cannabis and the narcotic MDA, but no charges were brought against them.
He claimed that his shows were being sabotaged on purpose and sometimes abruptly postponed by organizers after parting ways with Marlian Records.
He reported Samson Balogun, a music promoter also known as Sam Larry, to the police in Lagos in June, stating that he had organized a squad of armed men to stop a video shoot. MohBad said that he had been attacked and that some of his tools had been ruined.
The claim was refuted by Mr. Balogun, and according to the police, MohBad never pursued the investigation. The music promoter later reaffirmed his denial, claiming they had a cordial relationship.
Since MohBad’s passing, videos showing his complaints about his business dealings with Marlian Records have reappeared, sparking an outpouring of grief and requests for information from his fans about how he passed away.
They have been participating in marches around southern Nigeria and contributing to a fund established by MohBad’s coworkers for his kid Imole.
Similar protests, according to his supporters on social media, are scheduled for London, UK, and Nairobi, Kenya.
