Did Seyi Tinubu donate N15m to Mohbad’s son? What we know so far

A report claiming Seyi, the son of President Bola Tinubu, donated the sum of N15,000,000 to support the son of the late singer Mohbad, has sparked controversy on social media.

The 27-year-old fast-rising singer, born Ilerioluwa Aloba, died on September 12 and was buried the next day.

The circumstance surrounding his death has continued to trigger conversations on social media.

The late singer is believed to have a child, named Liam, with Omowumi, his lover.

Shortly after Mohbad’s demise, well-meaning Nigerians launched a fundraiser for his child.

Sharing an update on the donation on Tuesday, Samklef, the music producer and singer, revealed that N32,744,900 has so far been raised for Mohbad’s son.

But on Thursday morning, a social media user announced, in a tweet, that Seyi donated N15 million to Mohbad’s son.

The user named Emiola Olamidun also shared what she claimed to be the proof of the transaction via X.

The tweet, which attracted thousands of views, also got the attention of Dare Olusegun, the special adviser (SA) to President Bola Tinubu on social media, who thanked Seyi for his donation.

Olusegun, in a now-deleted tweet, also likened Seyi to his dad in terms of “generosity”.

“The figurative apple that did not fall far from the tree #RIPIMOLE. Thank you ST❤️❤️🙏🏿,” he wrote.

The rumours also fetched Tinubu’s son’s praises from different quarters on social media — although some users expressed doubts with respect to the authenticity of the bank screenshot.

Joining the fray, Japheth Omojuwa, a political commentator, debunked the claim that Seyi donated the said amount to support Mohbad’s son.

In a post on X, the public speaker, who is a close associate of Seyi, said he had a conversation with the president’s son when rumours of his donation first hit the internet.

Omojuwa said he advised Seyi not to be openly involved in the matter so his intentions “do not send wrong messages” online.

“Seyi Tinubu did not donate N15m to Mohbad’s kid or family. I would know, because I have been discussing with him on the issue for several days,” he wrote.

“Bella Schmurda mentioned Seyi in a tweet and I immediately forwarded it to him. This time, he called me and asked what he could do. I shared my thoughts.

“I said not to get sucked into the social media thing because whatever he said or did would be politicised. I then went on to say, irrespective of that, we should prioritise his family, especially his kid.

“He said he would commit to the kid’s education and also support the wife immediately. But we also knew there was still a danger of that getting used against him politically.

“I sent a message to one of my friends in the industry who himself has also been involved with the Mohbad issue – without knowing what I had shared with Seyi, he also advised me to hold on.

“That he would do the necessary connections when it is convenient to do so without appearing to be getting in the way of anything. Any rational person wouldn’t need an explanation for the hesitations around the issue. It is the intersection of a criminal matter and social media narratives.

Seyi Tinubu didn’t donate N15m to Mohbad’s kid or family. I would know, because I have been discussing with him on the issue for several days.

Bell Schmurda mentioned Seyi in a tweet and I immediately forwarded it to him. The same way I have forwarded tweets around policy…

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 21, 2023

“Just to be clear, the N15m making the rounds that Seyi donated is not true. My position is obvious – if you can comprehend what you read – I was involved with him on this matter from the get go.

“And if you want to know how he is ultimately supporting the kid and the wife, I don’t think that is my business to say. And frankly speaking, I don’t think it matters. That is left for those who received what to say.”

Corroborating Omojuwa’s account, Seyi took to Instagram to share a screenshot of a blog post indicating he did not donate the amount to Mohbad’s son.