The death of Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba, known as Mohbad, on September 12, 2023, sparked significant controversy and public outcry. Mohbad, an Afrobeats artist, was known for his hit song “KPK (Ko Por Ke),” which became popular during the COVID-19 recovery period in Nigeria.
His death at the age of 27 triggered widespread reactions, with many demanding justice and answers regarding the circumstances surrounding his demise.
In the wake of Mohbad's death, Nigerian rapper Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, has faced scrutiny and allegations. Naira Marley, the head of Marlian Music, expressed frustration over the continued accusations linking him to Mohbad’s death. He emphasized that his challenges in the music industry predated this unfortunate incident.
Soon after Mohbad's death, rumours began on social media. People reportedly took to the streets demanding an investigation. The Lagos State Police Command was called upon to reopen investigations into the death of Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, also known as Mohbad.
Speaking in a video shared on his YouTube channel on Tuesday, Naira Marley maintained his innocence in the singer's controversial death and urged the police to re-arrest him, his associate Samson Balogun, aka Samlarry, and all others previously accused.
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“If you ask me, I will tell the Police to arrest everybody again. Put an officer we can trust in charge,” he said.
The rapper explained that he returned to Nigeria to cooperate with the police after fingers were pointed at him, stressing that he was detained at Panti for two months in 2023 despite not seeing Mohbad for over a year before his death. He also alleged there was a conspiracy to keep him in custody at the time.
Naira Marley further revealed that he had reached an agreement with Mohbad's lawyer to hand over all royalties from the late singer's music to whichever family member the court appoints to manage his estate.
Mohbad died on September 12, 2023, under circumstances that sparked public outrage. Naira Marley, Samlarry, and Mohbad's childhood friend, Owodunni Ibrahim, aka Prime Boy, were all detained but later released on bail.
The Lagos State Coroner's Court later ruled that Mohbad's death was not linked to foul play but to medical negligence after an auxiliary nurse, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, administered an injection to the singer.
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Naira Marley pointed to a leaked group chat as evidence, which mentioned the officer in charge of the case and a judge. He said, “I came back to Nigeria to support the police because I can see fingers pointing our way. “I was in Panti for two months. After I came out of Panti, I was fighting for my passport; they held my passport. I was like, it’s okay to question me [over Mohbad’s death], but there’s no reason to detain me. I haven’t seen him for over a year. But it’s okay. There was a conspiracy and a gang-up to keep me there. As you can see, the group chat got leaked; they even mentioned the name of the officer in charge of the case in Panti.
“If you ask me, I will tell the Police to arrest everybody again.
According to him, after releasing First Time in America in 2021, his career faced a decline, with subsequent songs failing to gain traction. However, against all odds, Naira Marley has witnessed a major career revival in 2024.
While he continues to face scrutiny, Naira Marley remains firm in his stance, urging critics to acknowledge his innocence.
In a recent development, the Lagos State Police Command made an announcement on Tuesday night regarding the custody of singer Azeez Fashola, more commonly known as Naira Marley. This development is part of an ongoing investigation into the tragic passing of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, widely recognized as Mohbad.
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The police's announcement followed Naira Marley's public declaration of his return to Nigeria to cooperate with law enforcement in uncovering the circumstances surrounding his former signee's death. Taking to social media, Naira Marley shared this news, emphasizing his commitment to contributing to the quest for justice for Mohbad. He stated, "I'd like to share that I've just arrived back in Lagos, Nigeria, to assist the authorities with the ongoing investigation.
A significant development in the investigation involved the completion of the autopsy on Mohbad's remains. Hundeyin revealed, "Autopsy has been concluded.
The unfortunate demise of Mohbad has ignited a groundswell of reactions from fans and the general public. Many are clamoring for justice and answers regarding the circumstances leading to the young artist's untimely death.
As the investigations progress, both the music industry and the public eagerly await the autopsy results and any subsequent developments in the case.
Mohbad was born to a family without much means in a low income area of Lagos State, Ikorodu. Ikorodu, even with its rich history, continues to be a slum. There are areas of Ikorodu that are livable but most of the city is almost totally unlivable because of a lack of social services. The roads in Ikorodu are terrible, social infrastructure has practically collapsed or is non-existent, the city is rife with cultism, crime and criminal gangs have taken hold of major areas. The infrastructure in Ikorodu is overstretched and the most significant government presence are police officers who collaborate with criminal gangs and government agents who extort citizens under the guise of motorpark levies and taxes. Ikorodu is the foil of Lagos, it typifies and exposes everything wrong with the state.
Unable to live in the mainland and island areas of Lagos, low income people stream to Ikorodu to rent and build because dreams are supposed to be affordable there. There is no justice in Ikorodu with the reign of the underworld and the social contract between the people and the government has all but broken down.
Mohbad survived his parent’s separation, became a carpenter and kept pursuing his dreams to sing. Eventually, his velvety voice took him out of Ikorodu and he joined the horde of newly minted middle class that Lagos attracts every month. His velvety voice was soft yet pleasing to the ears. Mohbad (Ajesings, Blessings, ft. The area called Lagos Island is where Lagos superstars go to live their dreams.
Lekki Peninsula, Ajah and the other areas are where the emerging middle class and pop stars like Mohbad go to live to signal their prominence and stay close to the kind of ecosystem that makes the music industry thrive. Victoria Island and Ikoyi are effectively out of reach of pop stars, not only because of how obscenely expensive they are but because the legacy families who have held on to them have refused to give them up just as they have refused to give up their places as Nigeria’s ruling elite since colonialism.
The actual Lagos Island is also called Eko, its Yoruba name. The office of Nigeria’s Heads of States was here before the capital was relocated in 1991. The headquarters of banks and other prominent companies are also there. This part of Lagos also hosts some of Nigeria’s most prominent families. They benefited as part of the colonial elite and have contributed to both the good and bad of Nigeria in equal measure or maybe the bad has outweighed the good.
Prominence is not necessarily good and Samson Erinfolami, a member of the prominent kingmaking Eletu family has shown. In the midst of the wealth in Eko, there is crime, urban squalor, drugs and everything that is wrong with the country. Erinfolami is known as Sam Larry and he has transformed himself into a socialite, at least that is what his social media shows. He has a song with Dotman where the album cover shows him as a judge with a desk name plate that identifies him as the “King of Settlement.”
Naira Marley also made reference to him in his song, “PXTA” that Sam Larry has settled it. What that “it” is remains unknown but that word settlement is mired in so much controversy because it often features in situations where power relations are asymmetrical and the power to settle remains firmly in the hands of the one with power. Don Corleone’s offer to Jack Woltz in The Godfather was also a settlement but it was an offer Woltz could not refuse. Sam Larry’s settlement cannot be refused because he is connected to power.
People like Sam Larry and his brother are important in the Nigerian system. They are close to anyone who is prominent because to be prominent requires people who would do things that prominent people would not do publicly. Naira Marley is one of such people, even though he is himself a publicly confessed sociopath, there are things he would not do but would send people to do for him.
Whatever little peace Mohbad experienced after his breakthrough was taken from him after his departure from Marlian Records. Mohbad documented these encounters. He was hounded like an animal under siege, beaten up, blacklisted in the industry and threatened repeatedly. Many videos now circulating on social media show these.
Despite all these, he continued to bear witness to life in what Nigerians now call the trenches. These trenches were dug by the many accidents and incidents of history and have served as places of refuge for Nigeria’s lower class. Indeed, Mohbad’s palm did not deceive him. His talent showed up for him and in usual music beef standard, he threw jabs at Naira Marley in songs after leaving Marlian Records. Unfortunately for Naira Marley, he does not possess the talent required to match Mohbad’s songwriting and delivery.
The cover of Mohbad’s EP had him behind a damp screen with his open palm. It was a sober album even though it is titled “Blessed.” Indeed, Mohbad is blessed with a voice that made him survive the initial storm even though he became hypertensive. In “Beast and Peace”, he reminded the world that he was capable of causing violence but he chose peace.
Dissatisfied with having practically ran him out of the industry, Sam Larry and his gang wanted to destroy the river that produces fish for Mohbad. They showed up with weapons at the video shoot of Mohbad’s “Account Balance” in June and destroyed his equipment. He reported it to the police and as usual, nothing was done about it.
This aided his final journey back to Ikorodu whether directly or indirectly. Three months after that incident, he died of an illness that remains unknown and was hurriedly buried in a manner unbefitting his status or contribution to the music industry. He made his final journey to Ikorodu when his body was taken for burial in a vacant plot in one of Lagos state’s poorest neighborhoods. He was indirectly mocked for being committed to his wife and everyone had an opinion on how he lived and died.
The aftermath of his life might even be more significant than his dying months as his death has stirred a righteous indignation in Nigerians home and abroad. The Nigerian Police has promised to investigate the circumstances leading to his death because of public outcry. As I write, protests are planned in three cities. His legacy is already settled as the one who exposes the rot in Nigeria’s music industry to the world. Whether he gets justice or not, whatever justice looks like for Nigerians, one thing is sure; his death has come to shine light in a crime-infested entertainment industry and Nigeria will be better for the revelations in the long run. Imole was a light that did not die with his death.
Ayọ̀délé Ìbíyẹmí is a reader who writes occasionally. He works at the intersection of literature, Life Writing, Popular Music, Tech, (Multi)Media, History and Art.
While rumours continue to swirl after Mohbad’s death, two viral videos don’t show musician Naira Marley’s house being set alight as some kind of payback. That’s the claim circulating on social media since mid-September 2023. It uses two different videos as evidence. One shows a house engulfed by flames at night. The second video, of a fire on the roof of a house, is from Nigeria. It was reported that one of AY’s houses in Lagos was razed by fire on 6 August.
Nigerian Singer Naira Marley Cooperating with Police on Mohbad's Death Investigation
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