Naira Marley, a prominent figure in the African music scene, is currently in police custody in Lagos following the death of Mohbad, a rising Nigerian music star formerly signed to his label.
Azeez Adeshina Fashola (born 10 May 1991), known professionally as Naira Marley, is a Nigerian-British singer, songwriter and rapper. His fans are fondly called Marlians, and his label became home to names like MOHBAD, Zinoleesky, and Vusic.
Mohbad, whose real name was Ilerioluwa Aloba, passed away in a Lagos hospital at the age of 27 on September 12. His cause of death has not been confirmed, leading to public suspicion and outrage.
Background Information on Naira Marley
At the age of 11, Fashola moved to Peckham, South London, England. He graduated with a distinction in business from Peckham Academy in 2010. While growing up, Fashola had plans of becoming an MC and a voice-over artist. He began rapping in 2013 after discovering his passion for music and was encouraged by close-knit friends from the Queens Roads area in Peckham to pursue his music career. Marley sings in English, Pidgin and Yoruba; his musical style spans Afrobeats, Street pop and hip-hop.
Naira Marley is also known as the "Marlians President".
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Arrest Details and Investigation
Police took Marley into custody in Lagos on Tuesday, according to police spokesperson Ben Hundeyin. Sam Larry, a close associate of Marley, was taken into custody earlier, on Sept. 29. On Wednesday, a court in Lagos granted the police 21 days to hold them in custody. Marley is now being questioned by police, who have not given further details on the case. An unnamed nurse has also been arrested, police spokesperson Hundeyin said.
The protests included some radio stations in Nigeria pulling Marley's music from their airwaves.
The case has brought focus on alleged abuse by powerful figures within Nigeria's multimillion-dollar Afrobeats music industry.
Police have exhumed Mohbad's body and carried out an autopsy, but the results have not yet been released. The coroner's inquest resumes on October 13.
Allegations and Denials
Outrage has been largely directed at Marley, the boss of Mohbad's former label, for alleged abuse against Mohbad before he died. A year ago, Mohbad left Marley's Marlian Records label. Following his departure, Mohbad claimed he suffered a campaign of abuse and attempts on his life by figures from the label, led by Marley. In August, he said Marley's label had pressured promoters to cancel his shows.
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Marley has denied all the allegations and said in a statement on social media last month he was "shattered" by news of Mohbad's death. Sam Larry has also denied any involvement.
Mohbad's death has caused confusion and protest in his home country and abroad, with marches taking place in both Lagos and London demanding justice for the late artist. The Afrobeats artist behind songs such as "Ask About Me" and "Peace" died in a hospital after being admitted with an ear infection.
Reactions and Calls for Justice
Marley is an ambassador for the country's anti-drug agency and a supporter of Lagos governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Marley campaigned in elections for Sanwo-Olu in February. Sanwo-Olu said anyone found guilty of Mohbad's death would face justice and called for witnesses to come forward. He has not yet reacted publicly to Marley's detention by police. Days of anger following Mohbad's death culminated in protests across the country last month.
Tunde Olawuwo, station manager for Splash FM Ibadan, one of the stations that has stopped playing Marley's songs, said the move by police to question Marley was a positive step but more needed to be done. "Because it can only mean the police are listening to the demands people are making, but what we want and hope for is a fair investigation. One that is open and transparent," he said.
Following his departure, Mohbad claimed he suffered a campaign of abuse and attempts on his life by figures from the label, led by Marley.
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Here is a summary of key events:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| May 10, 2021 | The EFCC arrested Marley and his friends. |
| May 15, 2021 | The EFCC released Zlatan and three others but kept Marley in custody. |
| May 16, 2019 | The EFCC charged him with 11 counts of fraud before a federal high court in Ikoyi, Lagos. |
| October 5, 2022 | Marley was accused of assault by his signee MohBad. |
| September 12 | Mohbad, a rising star in the Afrobeats scene, died at age 27 |
| September 29 | Police took local music promoter Sam Larry into custody. |
Obviously satisfied with EFCC’s decision to arrest the artists who he had been condemning for encouraging the crime, popular rapper, Ruggedman said; “I’ve been expecting people to carry placards in protest of their arrest but nothing has happened so far. Some people are even saying I was the brain behind their arrest which is funny because I do not have that kind of power; they played themselves. I advised him not to mislead people because a lot of people see their Benz life and want to be like them and it is fast becoming the norm.
While Davido threw his weight behind the artistes saying, “Marlian, free bro, nothing spoil, I got you”, Burnaboy lamented their arrest. “Now my day is ruined. No zanku at my show today. “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should immediately release those artistes. They were arrested like Fela for their popular culture stance, lyrics and what not. Their civil rights have been violated and their reputation has been damaged forever as they have an EFCC arrest record and were paraded to the world. All they need is a good US lawyer and watch damages paid to them.
Our anti-graft agency has messed up this case”, she said, as Olamide urged Naira Marley’s fans to stay positive. Celebrity filmmaker and Lawyer, Ayo Shonaiya shared his mixed feelings. “When I saw the picture posted by EFCC about the “arrest” of Naira Marley, Zlatan Ibile and other persons, I had mixed emotions. On one hand, I liked it because this is “that picture”.
Meanwhile, the EFCC Lagos Zonal office says the arrested artists have so far volunteered useful information about their involvement in the alleged criminal activities, even as investigations continue.
On 10 May 2021, the EFCC arrested Marley and his friends Zlatan, Tiamiu Kayode, Adewunmi Adeyanju Moses, Micheal "Taqueesh" Adenuga, and Abubakar Musa. The arrest was made a day after Marley released the video for the controversial single "Am I A Yahoo Boy". Five days later, the EFCC released Zlatan and three others but kept Marley in custody due to the evidence against him. On 16 May 2019, the EFCC charged him with 11 counts of fraud before a federal high court in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Published first in June 2019 on ThisisLagos.ng, re-published with their kind permissionNaira Marley, recently arrested for internet fraud, has not let his trouble with the EFCC disturb his creative output.
While incarcerated, he released ‘Why’, bemoaning several frustrating life scenarios. After he was granted bail, he released ‘Opotoyi (Marlians)’, a ribald ditty about salient aspects of the female anatomy. But the song that has brought him another outpouring of outrage is his latest, Soapy.
Less than three minutes of spool time, Soapy coasts on the jaunty rhythms and shuffling percussion of Rexxie, Marley’s go-to producer. If Rexxie’s beat puts one in the mood to dance, Marley’s deadpan and humorous lyrical delivery extends his MO of leaning into sexual innuendos.
Soapy is essentially a dance instructional. Soapy, an English adjective by default, becomes a noun, characterising an action that used to be known in the biblical days of yore as onanism. These days, masturbation will suffice.
The song was accompanied by the dance which was first posted by Marley himself in a number of short videos on social media.
The Nigerian dance scene is always in search of a new move.
MOHBAD DEATH: 10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE ARTIST THAT DIED AT THE AGE OF 27
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