By Miracle Ogunde
With several circumstances surrounding the death of the young popular hip-hop artist, Ifeoluwa Oladimeji Aloba, also known as MohBad, the founder of Marlian record label, Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, is losing grounds and fame gradually in the music industry.
Apart from the fact that his group members, the Marlians are deserting him, he is losing his reputation daily after the death of his former singer, Mohbad, with many Nigerians accusing him of complicity.
Recently, Starnews Nigeria reports that Nigerians have begun to sign a petition calling for the ban of Marlian Music, a record label owned by Naira Marley.
Before MohBad’s death on 12th September, 2023, the singer had alleged threats to his life by record label owner, Naira Marley and his men.
Concerned fans have however, begun signing a petition to ban the late singer’s former record label, Marlian Music, Starnews Nigeria has gathered.
The petition which was launched on change.org by fans of Mohbad and has garnered over 200,000 signatures at the time of this report.
In reaction to this, the management of Splash FM, one of the leading radio stations in the South West part of Nigeria, has placed a ban on broadcasting Naira Marley songs across all its stations, citing the ongoing investigation into the mysterious death of the musician.
Likewise two other radio stations in Ibadan, Agidigbo FM and Fresh FM have followed suit, citing public outcry from members of the public trailing the death of former Marlian signee, Mohbad.
They also alleged victimization from different videos going viral and the involvement of members of Naira Marley’s record label, while demanding justice for the late musician, Starnews Nigeria can report.
Over 900,000 people have unfollowed Naira Marley on Instagram since this whole madness started.
Similarly, the public outcry against the Marlian label founder, has forced the Nigerian police to set up a crack detective team to investigate the cause of Mohbad’s death.
The team is expected to submit an interim report within two weeks.
Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has also invited the Department of State Services, DSS, to join in the investigation of the death of the singer.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a statement shared via his Instagram page recently, said he has also invited the DSS to collaborate with the police in the investigation process.
The statement partly read, “I would like to assure everyone that I am not oblivious to the sad passing of Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Imole Aloba (Mohbad). We have been closely working behind the scenes with relevant authorities, and following keenly the ongoing investigations.
“However, in order to boost the investigations, I have invited the Department of State Services (DSS) to join the investigation and widen the dragnet with inter-agency collaboration and use of best in class technology to unearth the truth.
“I have instructed that all those who may have played any role or whatsoever in any event leading to the death of Mohbad to be made to face the law after a thorough investigation.”
The Governor, while commiserating with the family and friends of the deceased, pleaded with individuals with vital information to come forward to aid the investigation.
Likewise, I have instructed that all those who may have played any role or whatsoever in any event leading to the death of Mohbad to be made to face the law after a thorough investigation.”
The Governor, while commiserating with the family and friends of the deceased, pleaded with individuals with vital information to come forward to aid the investigation.
Similarly, Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has joined in the call for investigation into the death of MohBad, urging police authorities to unravel the mysteries surrounding it.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, the Governor said the minimum the country owes the deceased and his family is justice, which he said could only come through a thorough investigation of the circumstances leading to his death as well as various revelations that came out thereafter.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, he said the minimum the country owes the deceased and his family is justice, which he said could only come through a thorough investigation of the circumstances leading to his death as well as various revelations that came out thereafter.
Governor Oyebanji spoke on Tuesday as Ekiti youths plan to hold a procession in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, to mourn the late singer and demand justice for him.
While describing Mohbad as a talented singer, who at 27 had already carved a niche for himself in the entertainment world with several hit songs to his credit, Oyebanji said the death of the singer at the peak of his career and the circumstances surrounding it are highly regrettable.
While extending condolences to members of the late singer’s immediate and extended families as well as his fans worldwide, the Ekiti State Governor urged the Nigeria Police to investigate the death and ensure that justice is done.
“Our condolences to the family and fans of the late singer, Mohbad. We feel their pains at this crucial moment and join other well- meaning Nigerians to demand a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to his death”, the statement added.
Also, the Senior Pastor of Awaiting the Second Coming of Jesus Christ Ministry, Pastor Adewale Giwa, has stated that the police need not waste time in the investigation of the late singer’s death.
According to the cleric, in various clips that have gone viral, the musician had already revealed those who had been after his life, coupled with the petition he wrote a few months before his death.
While speaking on the issue, the popular pastor faulted the role the father of the deceased has been playing since his death.
Giwa emphasised that the father should not have rushed to bury the deceased, considering the developments leading to his death, particularly that he was a celebrity.
“Since the incident happened, I’ve not slept. I don’t know him, and I’ve never met him. The circumstances surrounding his death are baffling.
“I’ve carefully studied and watched different videos concerning him, and responsible parents do not fold their arms and watch their children murdered without trying to bring the culprits to justice.
“I don’t know what has befallen Nigeria; I don’t know what has befallen the music industry in Nigeria. Why do you want to be famous at all costs? This should be a lesson to the upcoming artists to take their time and not rush to be famous. It is a great lesson.
“I want to urge the Inspector General of Police to immediately order his men. He doesn’t need to wait for any investigation to be conducted. In the videos I’ve watched, the guy himself disclosed his enemies; he mentioned them. So they don’t need to wait for any investigation before going ahead and arresting whoever is involved in the death of the boy.
“I also want to plead with the Inspector General of Police to, as a matter of urgency, exhume the body of Mohbad and conduct an autopsy examination. The videos where he was tormented to the point of death are baffling,” he said.
Giwa further stressed that “confraternity has taken over both Christian and secular music in Nigeria. Unless you belong, you cannot make headway; that is rubbish. This nonsense has to be stopped.
“The father of the deceased shouldn’t have hurriedly buried him just like that. What the father should have done was to contact the police authority and let them know how his son was killed. But I don’t think he did that. He should have waited and reported the issue to the police before he went ahead and buried the young man. In that aspect, he failed as a father. He ought to have found out the actual course of his son’s death. He made the greatest mistake.
“It is not too late; the police know what to do. They buried him a few days ago, and he is still fresh. They can go right now and bring out his dead body and conduct an autopsy on him.
“If the father had really played the role of a father in the life of the young man, he wouldn’t have hurriedly buried him. This is a lesson to parents out there, too, to do their best to take good care of their children.”
In a related development, the Nigeria Police Force, has said it would look into the alleged police negligence of late singer, Mohbad’s petition against show promoter Samson Balgun, also known as Sam Larry, and 15 others.
Reacting, the Nigeria Police Force PRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the force would investigate the alleged negligence of the petition.
Sharing a copy of the petition via his X handle, he wrote, “We will look into the alleged police negligence on this case.”
Before his death, Starnews Nigeria learnt that MohBad had petitioned the police over “threat to life, malicious damage of properties valued at the sum of five million naira, assault, occasional harm, oppression, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace” against Sam Larry and 15 others.
The petition alleged that Mohbad was attacked at a video shoot on June 25, 2023, by Sam Larry and 15 others, all armed, who wreaked havoc on the place, destroying equipment worth over N5 million and assaulting the singer who “narrowly escaped with injuries”.
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